The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) reported on Monday the seizure of 10 capuchin monkeys being transported illegally in the state of Tabasco.
According to official information, the discovery occurred during a vehicle inspection carried out by officers of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection on the Villahermosa-Escárcega highway. According to the report from local authorities, the animals were hidden in the trunk of a private car, confined in two black plastic crates.
Profepa found that the monkeys had some skin lacerations, apparently caused by a fungal infection, and also showed signs of dehydration. Due to these health conditions, the authorities ordered the immediate transfer of the animals to a Wildlife Conservation Management Unit, where they are receiving specialized clinical care and monitoring of their progress by trained personnel.
The federal agency confirmed that the driver of the vehicle was turned over to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office to determine his legal status. The environmental authority also announced that it will file the corresponding criminal complaint with the judicial authorities.
“The illegal trafficking of species constitutes a crime that threatens the ecological balance, as established in section IV of article 420 of the Federal Penal Code,” Profepa reiterated.
Source: aristeguinoticias
