Dozens Of Exotic Animals Seized By Mexico Police During Raid

As many as 25 exotic animals like a Bengal tiger, lions and pumas were seized after officials raided a property in Mexico.

The raid was done after they had been alerted to "suspicious activity" at the ranch in Huixquilucan, which is west of Mexico City, reported BBC.

Police also found pumps that they believe were used to steal petrol from fuel pipelines.

According to New York Post, bizarre pets like tigers are among popular choices for Mexican drug dealers who like to show off their wealth.

A number of big cats have been seized in recent years.

The place where the exotic animals were found is thought to have been used by a gang that steals and sells fuel.

Police found a container with 14,000 liters of diesel, and many big vehicles like buses and lorries which officials say may have been stolen.

There were 47 live animals were at the property. Some of them were kept in cages. Seven dead animals, which had been stuffed, were also seized.

Animal trafficking is a lucrative business in the country. Criminal gangs in Mexico buy and sell exotic species for profit.

It is not illegal to own an exotic animal in the country as long as the owner can prove that it came from a certified dealer. The owner also needs to show proof that the animal was born in captivity.

Many of the animals that were seized by the authorities in recent years don't have the necessary paperwork.

According to the office of the Mexican attorney general for environmental protection, the illicit trade in flora and fauna is estimated to be the fourth-biggest illegal enterprise in the nation. It comes after the trafficking of drugs, people and guns.

It is not just drug traffickers who keep exotic animals at their ranches as status symbols.

Three years ago, a woman was seen walking around a mall in an upscale neighborhood of Mexico City with a tiger cub on a leash.

In December 2022, traffic police found a tiger cub in the boot of a car that they had stopped for a minor traffic violation.

Last week, prosecutors in Sonora said that they were searching for a Bengal tiger named Baluma, who was stolen from a home in Hermosillo.

According to Fox 8, they said that the owners of the tiger had the proper paperwork that is needed to keep the animal.

Prosecutors also distributed photos of the animal resting in its cage alongside a dog.