CALAMBA CITY, Laguna – The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Laguna Provincial Field Unit have rescued exotic wildlife species valued at P800,000 following a buy-bust operation in Sitio 4, Barangay Oogong, Santa Cruz, Laguna.
Police, assisted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 4-A-Enforcement Division (ED) and Licenses, Patents, and Deeds Division (LPDD), recovered 185 exotic wildlife species such as ball python (Python regius), emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator), and Mexican rose tarantula (Aphonopelma Pallidum).
These are classified as Appendix II in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Other non-CITES confiscated wildlife were Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius) and adult and juvenile Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps).
According to the LPDD, a wildlife trader was arrested in the operation for illegal wildlife trading.
The wildlife trader only holds a Certificate of Wildlife Registration which is for pet hobbyist purposes only and not for commercial trade.
All confiscated wildlife species were turned over to the Regional Wildlife Rescue Center in Calauan, Laguna for custody.
Criminal charges will be filed against the suspect for violating Republic Act No. 9147, also known as the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
The joint operation which lasted for 10 hours was conducted in response to the request for assistance from the DENR to the CIDG-Laguna against an alleged illegal wildlife trading operation in Calamba City.