Spanish authorities have apprehended two individuals believed to be involved in the online sale of exotic felines, including protected species like white tigers and pumas, resulting in the confiscation of 19 cats during the operation.
The couple was detained on the island of Majorca, where they are accused of breeding desert lynxes and servals, a wild cat indigenous to Africa, as well as hybrid breeds produced by crossing these species with domestic cats, according to a police statement.
Ongoing investigations revealed that their operations may merely represent “the tip of the iceberg” in a broader international trafficking network of protected animals, including white tigers and black panthers, with connections to breeders, transporters, and veterinarians involved, authorities noted.
“The majority of the animals listed for sale originated from countries including Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine before being smuggled into the European Union,” they added.
In addition to white tigers and pumas, the couple promoted various other species for sale through their social media accounts, including European lynxes and hyenas.
Police highlighted that the suspects had advertised a clouded leopard, one of the rarest and most elusive cats globally, at a hefty price of €60,000.
Law enforcement also confiscated a caracal, a desert lynx noted for its distinctive long ear tufts, along with two servals and 16 hybrid felines.
Additionally, authorities seized more than 40 animal passports originating from Russia, Belarus, and China as part of the operation.
