The Federal Police (PF) carried out, this Thursday (19), Operation Cifra Dourada to dismantle a group specialized in the national and international trafficking of endangered wild animals of the Brazilian fauna. In the action, federal agents served a search and seizure warrant in the municipality of Cabo Frio, in the Lagos Region, against a man suspected of being a professional hunter of golden lion tamarins, responsible for supplying these animals to a group that took the animals abroad.
The court order was issued by the 2nd Federal Court of Niterói, in the metropolitan region of Rio. During the searches, the police seized monkey hunting traps.
In February 2024, during Operation Akpé, the Federal Police repatriated 17 golden lion tamarins and 12 Lear’s macaws, which were victims of international trafficking and were in Togo, a country located in West Africa. The animals are endemic to specific areas of Brazilian territory and are seriously threatened with extinction. In August of this year, in the municipality of Porto Velho, 11 wild animals were seized, eight of which were golden lion tamarins.
In an integrated action involving the Federal Police, the Rio de Janeiro Primatology Center, the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity (ICMBio), the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) and the Golden Lion Tamarin Association, it was possible to trace the geographic origin of some of the seized animals. At least seven of the animals found had the same geographic origin: the Golden Lion Tamarin Municipal Natural Park, in Cabo Frio.
A federal criminal investigation will be carried out by the Federal Police to estimate which specimens had been recently removed from the wild, which had been in captivity for a few months, and which had been in captivity for more than a year. Biological material was collected from the animals for further forensic examinations. Both traditional methodologies, such as morphological and sanitary analysis of the specimens, and isotopic and genetic analyses will be used.
The suspect was arrested for the crime of professional hunting of wild animals, for illegally keeping wild animals in captivity, for mistreatment and for the use of a false ring. In addition, the suspect will be charged with the crimes of qualified receiving of stolen goods and endangering the life or health of others.
Sent to the Environmental Police Station, at the PF Superintendence in Rio de Janeiro, for the arrest report, the suspect will be sent to the state prison system, where he will remain at the disposal of the Federal Court.
