Police in Spain have broken a smuggling ring that operated through the catering trade and Spanish-operated businesses in Central America to trade in precooked elver.
Ten individuals are under investigation, and one has been arrested, as are six legal entities in various parts of Spain. The charges include trafficking in protected species, smuggling, and document falsification.
Operation Pakua began earlier this year when it was discovered through customs records that cooked European eel (Anguilla anguilla) were being exported to Mexico to be trafficked through Spanish restaurateurs based in Mexico, making use of legitimate business channels for this illegal activity.
The operation was led by the 4th Court of Instruction of San Sebastián, with the support of the Civil Guard commands of Guipúzcoa, Madrid and Badajoz. It is part of the wider operation ASKEA IV-LAKE, carried out under the co-ordination of EUROPOL and in collaboration with a number of European nations.
Eel is listed under Appendix II of the CITES Convention as well as Annex B of the Eel Regulation, which prohibits its export outside the EU
