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thrive

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Registered: 2023-01-04

Posts: 2,575

Over 256 eel smugglers have been apprehended by law enforcement.

International glass eel trafficking organizations have suffered yet another devastating blow thanks to a global joint operation coordinated by Europol and involving law enforcement agencies from all over the world. Operation Lake this year, which took place from October 2022 to June 2023, resulted in the capture of 256 people in connection with the trafficking of 25 tonnes of live glass eels, which were sold for about EUR 13 million. 8 tonnes of these baby eels were already leaving the EU for Asia, where they would be raised in fish farms and sold all over the world once they reached adulthood.

The most recent season of Operation LAKE set a new benchmark as its most productive one yet, with an increase of over 50% in arrests and seizures. Chinese, Malaysian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and nationals of two high-value targets and fifty of their closest associates were among the 256 people detained. The organized criminal networks involved in this multi-billion euro activity are severely disrupted by these successes. Authorities also seized bank accounts with over EUR two million in funds and criminal assets worth over EUR one million.

As a last resort, law enforcement is used for eels.
One of the world's worst crimes against wildlife, the protected European glass eel is the target of Operation LAKE. The population of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) has dropped by 90% recently; however, ongoing law enforcement efforts against eel trafficking may have helped to keep the species from going extinct.

Glass eel trafficking is one of the largest and most profitable illegal trades of protected species worldwide, with peak years' illegal profits estimated to reach up to EUR 3 billion. A significant portion of the marked decline in illegal activity can be attributed to effective law enforcement efforts to combat this threat to European wildlife. According to estimates, since 2016, the year Operation LAKE was put into action, the number of eel trafficking incidents has decreased by 50%. Since then, more than 750 people have been detained, and 26 tonnes of glass eels have been kept from being smuggled and may now be returned to their natural habitats.

environmental crime with sophistication.
These fish are being smuggled from Europe to Asia by numerous criminal organizations. EU nationals are primarily in charge of the illegal fishing of young eels in European waters within these criminal organizations, while nationals from the Asian destinations organize further logistics and transportation. Glass eels are occasionally purchased from poachers, and on occasion, legally caught glass eels are diverted to black markets. Local fishermen typically catch eels in rivers using prohibited and illegal techniques, which frequently severely harm the river's wildlife. Fish can be transported legally throughout Europe for farming or restocking. Glass eels have a legal market in the EU. As a result, criminals depend on and abuse legally operating EU companies that are under their control.

The eels are caught and then shipped to Europe, where they are kept in homes, apartments, and warehouses. Typically, the live fish are prepared for shipment in luggage or cargo shipments by Asian members of the criminal organization. Eels may be transported in vehicles, concealed in passengers' luggage, or disguised as commodities and shipped in packages on commercial aircraft. These delicate fish must travel to Asia in airtight containers or plastic bags with a set water temperature and oxygen level in order to survive.

Once the eels are in Asia, they are raised in fish farms before being sold in various markets around the world. One of the most serious types of wildlife trafficking worldwide is the trade in glass eels, which are prized in many Asian nations as a delicacy. Glass eels are thought to be smuggled out of member countries of the European Union at a rate of about 100 tons per year, with prices per kilogram reaching mind-boggling heights of up to several thousand euros.

role of Europol.
Across continents, Europol supported national law enforcement agencies with forensic and analytical support, hosted a virtual command post, and coordinated operational activities. Europol sent experts to the hot spots during the action days to instantly cross-check operational data against its databases and give leads to on-the-ground investigators.

Operation LAKE seeks to break up violent organized crime organizations that engage in illegal activities like environmental crime, smuggling, money laundering, tax evasion, and document forgery. It also targets the trafficking of endangered species within the European Union.