Zypern – 18. 09. 2024

Three poachers arrested while operating massive trapping site in Ormidhia – 69 protected birds rescued by SBA Police and CABS staff.

Nets, bird caller and car used by suspects seized.

Last Tuesday a joint operation conducted by the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) and the SBA Police concluded with a raid which CABS have described as one of the biggest stings against the illegal trapping and trade with protected birds in Cyprus.

The raid was triggered by a report from CABS staff who – attracted by the sound of an illegal bird calling machine - discovered a massive illegal bird trapping installation near Ormidhia (Larnaca district). “After witnessing poachers throwing rocks to flush the birds into their nets our team then carefully withdrew and alerted the SBA-Police who quickly responded and were able to catch and arrest three suspects red-handed,” CABS spokeswoman Stefania Travaglia reported that the men were totally surprised by the sudden raid. After the poachers were apprehended the environmentalists helped the officers to dismantle the nets and carefully liberate a total 69 protected birds including Blackcaps, Garden Warblers, Sedge warblers as well as a Red-backed Shrike and a Cyprus Scops Owl – a species endemic to the island. “We were shocked to see what damage to nature these men have caused in just a few hours. The good news is that all birds were successfully released and are now able to continue their journey,” Ms. Travaglia said adding that the SBA Police seized all trapping paraphernalia and the car used by the trappers as corpus delicti.

CABS thank the SBA Police officers for their fast response and approach and urged the authorities to also investigate the suspects for possible tax evasion and laundering of the profits gained from their illegal activity. “This was not an old man trapping some birds for the kitchen, but an organised gang of criminals who almost certainly will be earning tens of thousands of Euros per year by killing and selling protected wildlife,” Stefania Travaglia concluded.

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For more information contact: +357 99823997 or email CABS Press Office via CABS@komitee.de