
Authorities have seized nearly 20,000 live animals and arrested 365 suspects in the most extensive wildlife operation to date, Interpol announced Tuesday.
Operation Thunder 2024, conducted from Nov. 11 to Dec. 6, targeted wildlife and forestry trafficking networks across 138 countries and regions, marking the broadest participation since the operation began in 2017.
Interpol revealed that authorities uncovered six transnational criminal organizations involved in smuggling protected animals and plants under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The illicit trade caters to markets demanding rare species for food, medicine, luxury items, and exotic pets, fueling a global crisis in biodiversity and conservation.
Confiscated animals included big cats, pangolins, primates, birds, and reptiles, with 2,213 seizures recorded worldwide, highlighting the vast scale of illegal wildlife trafficking.
Authorities also intercepted shipments containing timber, sea cucumbers, and pangolin scales, alongside beauty products infused with caviar, bear bile, and rare plant extracts.
In a stark warning, Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza condemned criminal networks profiting from endangered species, calling the trade an attack on biodiversity and global stability.
“This has far-reaching consequences: it drives biodiversity loss, destroys communities, contributes to climate change, and even fuels conflict and instability,” Urquiza stated.
Major seizures included tons of illegal timber in Indonesia and Kenya, 472 kilograms of pangolin scales in Nigeria, and eight tigers in the Czech Republic.