Protected species trafficking operation uncovered in Spain involving hundreds of reptiles

If you’ve ever had a reptile as pets, you may have assumed that the biggest question at the time of buying them was whether you had the right enclosure, food and equipment to look after it.

But for some reptiles, there is another question before any of that: can you legally buy, sell, transport or import the animal at all? That is now under the spotlight in Spain after the Guardia Civil seized 209 reptiles and arrested three people accused of illegally trading protected species in Castellón.

209 reptiles found in two homes

The operation involved searches at properties in Jérica and Sot de Ferrer, where officers from Seprona in Valencia and Castellón found 209 reptiles. Of these, 110 were subject to different levels of protection under CITES, the international convention governing trade in threatened wild animals and plants. Among the animals was an iguana endemic to Fiji described by investigators as being in serious danger of extinction.

The searches also uncovered incubators, transport containers and terrariums, indicating that reptiles were being kept and bred as part of the suspected operation. According to the Guardia Civil, those arrested had been operating through what appeared to be a legitimate animal shipping business. Investigators allege that they obtained specimens through contacts in America, Africa and Asia, including animals taken directly from the wild.

From breeding to illegal sales

They allegedly bred reptiles clandestinely and then transported specimens to European fairs, where they could enter the legitimate market using documentation intended to establish their legal origin. The investigation is continuing as officers examine documents and electronic devices to determine the full extent of the alleged operation. 

The three suspects, two men aged 48 and 51 and a 37-year-old woman, face offences including crimes against wildlife, smuggling, money laundering and membership of a criminal organisation. They are suspects at this stage and have not been convicted. Four unlicensed pistols, almost 200 rounds of handgun ammunition, an air rifle, a Taser and an extendable baton were also seized.

What exactly is CITES?

CITES stands for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It is an international agreement designed to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. It does not simply mean that every CITES animal is banned from being owned or sold. 

Instead, species are divided into three levels of protection, known as Appendices. Appendix I covers species facing the greatest threat of extinction and international commercial trade in specimens is generally prohibited, subject to limited exceptions. Appendix II covers species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction now but could become so if trade is not strictly controlled. International trade can take place when the required permits or certificates are obtained. 

Appendix III covers species protected in at least one country where that country asks other CITES countries for help controlling international trade. The system is designed to make animals and their origins traceable, with permits and certificates showing where specimens came from, where they are going and why they are being traded. Spain applies CITES through European Union legislation as well as Spanish rules.

What counts as a protected species in Spain?

CITES is only one part of the picture, Spain also has its own List of Wild Species under Special Protection and the Spanish Catalogue of Endangered Species. Being protected does not necessarily mean an animal is endangered. Species can receive legal protection because of their conservation status or the need to prevent threats to their populations.

The national catalogue currently includes 1,010 taxa across plants, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Among reptiles, 52 taxa are listed under the special protection regime, while eight are classified as vulnerable and another eight as endangered. This means the phrase “protected species” covers more than animals that are on the brink of extinction. Some species are protected because their populations require control and conservation measures, while CITES specifically addresses the international trade that can threaten wild populations.

For anyone buying an exotic animal in Spain, the rules depend on the species and how it was obtained. A species can be legally kept under certain circumstances while its international movement, import, export, breeding or sale remains subject to specific requirements. In the Castellón case, investigators are now examining whether those rules were deliberately bypassed and how many animals may have passed through the alleged trading network.