Mexico City, Mexico — The Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection arrested a man and seized nearly 300 reptiles from his luggage. Gustavo “N” was arrested while boarding a flight out of Mexico City bound for Japan. Federal authorities say he has a long history of animal trafficking that also includes Ecuador and New Zealand.
Gustavo “N” was taken into custody after custom agents found the reptiles stashed inside his luggage. During the inspection, a total of 299 reptiles were found, 14 of which were found dead. He is facing charges of international wildlife trafficking following his May 19 arrest. On May 25, the Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa) reported on the finding and subsequent detainment while boarding a flight at the Mexico City airport.
On May 19, Gustavo “N” was arrested as he was attempting to board an international flight to Japan. He had checked-in two suitcases containing 299 reptiles of various protected wildlife species. The reptiles were being transported illegally, without documentation or authorization for their export, they said.
Profepa said they made the arrest “after several months of investigative work and intelligence gathering. Members of the Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa), the Navy, Citizen Security Secretariat, Attorney General’s Office (FGR) through the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime (FEMDO), and the Mexico City Benito Juárez International Airport, participated in the operation.”
He is facing charges under Article 420, sections IV and V of the Federal Penal Code, referring to the capture, possession, transportation, collection, import or export for the purposes of trafficking of any specimen, product or by-product of wildlife, regulated by an international treaty to which Mexico is a party.
“The detained individual is a known international trafficker, a Mexican citizen with multiple records of international trafficking, most notably his arrests in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, for the attempted illegal export of marine and land iguanas, and in New Zealand for the attempted illegal export of various species of endemic and endangered geckos,” Profepa reported.
“This incident is a severe blow to the illegal trade and extraction of wildlife specimens protected by national and international laws. Profepa will continue to carry out logistical, inspection, and surveillance activities with other institutions to curb these types of crimes that seriously affect our biodiversity,” stated Attorney General Mariana Boy Tamborrell.
According to Tamborrell, Gustavo “N” is facing a sentence of between one and nine years in prison.
