Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — Two men were taken into police custody in Playa del Carmen after they were found in possession of 110 sea turtle eggs.
The arrests took place in the Colosio neighborhood. The pair were transferred to the facilities of the federal police agency in Cancun for crimes against biodiversity.
According to arresting police, the eggs were in the incubation pen near beach of the Grand Velas Riviera Maya. The municipal environmental department reports that the 110 eggs had likely been removed from the nest the day after they were laid. Due to their removal from the pen, the chances of hatching are low, although not impossible. The eggs were turned over to Grand Velas who has placed them in a protected incubation pen.
They report that the unit price of a sea turtle egg is around 50 peso. The two men will be held for the state attorney general.