three people in police custody in Haute-Garonne

Three people are in police custody in Toulouse as part of an investigation into illegal practices organized on turtles protected in a refuge in Bessières (Haute-Garonne), indicated the Toulouse public prosecutor’s office on Wednesday April 24, in a press release. Among those in custody is the shelter director.

On Tuesday, an operation was carried out in this shelter after reports concerning irregular conservation and housing conditions for protected animals, or the release into the wild of specimens of invasive species. A preliminary investigation has been underway for several months following these reports.

Up to seven years in prison and a fine of 750,000 euros

The investigators’ investigations concern crimes of “illicit destruction, transport, sale of protected species in organized gangs”, “attack on the conservation of protected species in organized gangs”, “introduction of invasive exotic animal species into the natural environment”, “spread of an epizootic”, “mistreatment of animals” and “breach of trust”. The suspects face up to seven years in prison and a fine of 750,000 euros.

The investigation also concerns suspicions of embezzlement to the detriment of the shelter. Investigators are also checking whether the conservation conditions of certain animals carrying a parasite favored its possible transmission to other specimens. The three people in police custody will be presented to the Toulouse judicial court on Thursday for indictment. The National Veterinary School of Toulouse helps investigators to inventory, classify, identify and examine turtle specimens.

The investigation is being carried out jointly by the Central Office for Combating Environmental and Public Health Attacks (OCLAESP), the French Biodiversity Office (OFB), the Departmental Directorate for Population Protection (DDPP ), the Regional Directorate for the Environment, Development and Housing (DREAL), with the help of the Haute-Garonne Departmental Gendarmerie Group (GGD 31).