13 people have been arrested on suspicion of illegally importing animals from Eastern Europe in small, poorly ventilated vehicles over distances longer than 2,000 kilometers, the police announced in a statement. According to Reuters, one of those arrested is a veterinarian.
The unsanitary conditions caused some of the animals to develop diseases. Some died because of the mismanagement.
Authorities suspect that the group falsified documents, such as health certificates and travel passports, in order to portray sick animals as healthy when they were sold.
Police opened the investigation at the end of 2020 after receiving several complaints about unhygienic conditions in a pet shop in central Barcelona. In the store, 33 sick animals were found.
The police operation against the network, in which the hundreds of animals were rescued, was carried out in September in private residences, veterinary clinics and pet shops.
See pictures from the raid in the video.