An illegal mega farm hidden in a home in the Villa Urquiza neighborhood of the city of Buenos Aires, with million-dollar values ??on the black market, was dismantled after an investigation that began with a chance event, as reported this Friday by the Argentine Federal Police.
Detectives from the Environmental Crimes department of that force rescued thousands of poisonous and constrictor snakes, tarantulas, scorpions and other exotic insects, which were the product of international illegal trafficking, and it was established that the value on the black market of all these specimens would amount to about 81,300 dollars (about 75,897 euros at the exchange rate).
The investigation began last Wednesday, when in the framework of a car check in the town of Ciudad Evita, in the province of Buenos Aires, a 40-year-old man was detained who had two live snakes and twelve other dead ones hidden among his belongings. , presumably intended for food of the former.
The man was arrested and charged in the case for violating the Wildlife Protection Law and the Animal Abuse Law, with the intervention of Federal Court 3 of the town of Morón, in charge of Alicia Vence, although he was released hours later , and it was decided that it would be investigated in the coming days.
The researchers were able to determine that the man had enclosures in his home conditioned for the breeding of a wide variety of snakes and reptiles such as iguanas, blue lizards from Central America, African monitors, pythons and rainbow boas, both constrictors and snakes, were identified. poisonous such as snakes and yarará, scorpions, scorpions and poisonous tarantulas from the South, Central and Southern regions of North America.
On the farm there was also a breeding ground for hundreds of rodents crammed into plastic containers arranged from the floor to the ceiling of the house, intended to be food for the snakes.
In addition, an incalculable amount of exotic insects of considerable size were seized, such as cockroaches and worms originating from different parts of the world, also raised in boxes and other containers arranged for such purposes, which were marketed and used as food for other species. named.
During the searches of the homes, documentation was seized that showed the existence of an illegal farm intended for international animal trafficking, and long weapons and ammunition were seized.
The intervening court ordered the transfer of all these rescued animals to the Educational Serpentarium in the town of Tigre, in the province of Buenos Aires, in order to establish their state of health, rehabilitation and future reintegration into their natural habitats, as well as the evaluation of the possible repatriation to countries where they originate.