A significant trafficking operation involving critically endangered glass eels has been dismantled after a two-year investigation, revealing an international network linked to Senegal. Authorities seized 355 kilos of glass eels, valued at nearly 2 million euros, intended for illegal export to Asia. With strict regulations in place, this case has seen 13 individuals prosecuted for their roles in the organized smuggling of these eels, which are highly sought after in Asian markets.
Dismantling a Major Trafficking Operation
A significant trafficking operation involving glass eels, the larvae of European eels classified as critically endangered, has been successfully dismantled following a lengthy investigation. Recent footage from French customs showcases these small, translucent gray fish, only a few centimeters in length, wriggling in water-filled containers, poised for illegal export to Asian countries.
The High Stakes of Glass Eel Fishing
The fishing of glass eels is one of the most strictly regulated activities in France, complete with quotas and designated fishing periods. These eels can command prices as high as 400 euros per kilo for consumption, while poachers exploit the demand in Asian markets where eel prices soar between 2,000 and 6,000 euros per kilogram.
The extraordinary case, which was adjudicated on Thursday, April 3, in Créteil, reveals the complexity of international trafficking networks for eels. Over the course of two years, investigators uncovered a sophisticated operation, with a judicial customs officer sharing insights anonymously in a news segment: “The investigation emphasized long-term work on telecommunication surveillance, which unveiled a new export route for glass eels, including a surprising link to Senegal in Africa.”
During the operation, authorities seized an impressive 355 kilos of glass eels, with an estimated value nearing 2 million euros. Since 2007, the European Union has mandated that any member nation allowing glass eel fishing must allocate at least 60% of their catch for restocking purposes. In France, this translates to approximately 30 tons from the 50 tons that are legally fished each year. However, the eel’s complex life cycle, which begins in the Sargasso Sea and involves migratory patterns toward continental waters, complicates conservation efforts.
In this particular case, all the seized glass eels were caught near Nantes before being transported to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, destined for Senegal and ultimately for China, where they are consumed in large quantities. “With the judicial measures in place, we were able to swiftly apprehend all participants in the network, including fishermen, Malaysian mules, and Asian nationals acting as warehouse managers,” the customs officer noted. Smugglers, referred to as mules, typically transport live glass eels in suitcases, using routes through Africa to disguise the European eels as less regulated African counterparts.
According to Aurélien Viaud, deputy director of the French Office for Biodiversity, such large seizures are rare. “Typically, when we handle cases involving glass eels, the volumes range between 100 and 200 kilos.” This case has led to 13 defendants from various nationalities, including French, being prosecuted for illegal possession, transport, and export of endangered species as part of an organized group, facing potential sentences of up to 10 years in prison.