Spain’s Guardia Civil said on Tuesday that it had broken up an illegal network involved in trading wild animals, among them species that are endangered or under protection.
Two male suspects, aged 30 and 35, were arrested after authorities uncovered more than 150 animals inside an unlicensed pet shop in Nules, a town in the province of Castellón (region of Valencia).
According to the Guardia Civil, neither man had permits to breed or keep the creatures, which they were advertising and selling online. Both now face prosecution for smuggling and for trafficking protected species.
The case began several months ago when investigators noticed an online advert offering ‘protected species for sale’. Further checks revealed video clips showing one of the men keeping animals such as owls, llamas and even leopards.
Officers later traced the operation to the Nules premises, where they discovered over 150 animals belonging to 56 different exotic species. The collection included two ring-tailed lemurs, a Bali starling, a zebra, five kinkajous, four ibises and a pair of meerkats, all held in cages.
The Guardia Civil estimated the total market value of the animals to be close to €70,000.
This latest intervention comes four months after officers shut down another online trafficking scheme in the Balearic Islands, where big cats such as white tigers, lynx and pumas were being illegally traded. ALSO READ: Guardia Civil arrest two people in Mallorca for alleged smuggling of exotic felines.
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#OperacionesGC | Desmantelado un zoo privado clandestino con más de 150 animales exóticos en Castellón
➡️Dos personas han sido investigadas por tener esta colección privada de más de 50 especies animales de los cinco continentes en la localidad de Nules.➡️Muchos de los… pic.twitter.com/8wI90fuctH
— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) August 26, 2025
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