A joint operation by the National Police of Peru and the Public Ministry has dismantled an international organization dedicated to the illegal trafficking of Amazonian wildlife, centered in the cities of Iquitos and Lima.
The operation ended with 12 people arrested —including two Spanish citizens— and seizures of endangered species, with a value on the black market exceeding $600,000.
According to General Manuel Lozada, head of the Environmental Police, the ring was led by a Spanish citizen identified as Juan Ramón Morillas, and operated a clandestine export network to destinations such as Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Russia, Spain, and the United States.
Amazon wildlife trafficking, captured and sold as illegal merchandise
Among the confiscated animals are:
- Monkeys
- Sloths
- Capybaras
- Anteaters
- Frogs, reptiles, and exotic beetles
The gang, according to official estimates, would have generated over $1.5 million since 2022, becoming one of the most profitable schemes of wildlife trafficking recently detected in the country.
One of the most profitable crimes globally
According to Interpol data, illegal wildlife trafficking generates about $20 billion annually. It ranks among the four most lucrative crimes in the world, alongside drug trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal arms trade.
This crime is also one of the main causes of biodiversity loss, especially in regions of high biological richness like the Peruvian Amazon, which hosts a large proportion of endemic and vulnerable species.
Ongoing legal action and environmental warning
The operation represents a significant step in the fight against transnational environmental crime.
Authorities also warned that international demand for exotic species continues to fuel illegal networks, which operate with complex logistical structures and global connections.
