16 December (London, England) – The Sustainable Eel Group would like to express its gratitude to the Spanish Civil Guard for their recent work in dismantling a criminal organisation trafficking in European eel. This illegal trade directly threatens the survival of the species, and SEG fully supports continued efforts to protect it from over-exploitation.

As part of Operation Pukua, authorities arrested one individual and placed ten others under investigation, along with six legal entities across the provinces of Guipúzcoa, Madrid, and Badajoz. Those implicated are accused of crimes including trafficking of protected species, smuggling, and document falsification. The operation underscores the urgent need for international collaboration to enforce protections for this critically endangered species.

Unlike the vast majority of wildlife trafficking gangs, who are engaged in the export of live eels to fish processing facilities in East Asia, this criminal network was caught in the act of exporting cooked eel to Mexico. By targeting the catering industry through Spanish-managed establishments in Central America, they were able to develop a compelling business case for the unilateral trade, and then to shift the cargo through legitimate business channels. This is indicative of the gradual change in approach which has followed the crackdown at airports.

Anguilla anguilla is listed under Appendix II of the CITES Convention as well as Annex B of the Eel Regulation, prohibiting its export outside the European Union. By sidestepping these protections using false customs declarations, the perpetrators undermined the species’ chances of recovery and worked to grow and diversify what is already an established black economy.

Operation Pukua formed part of the larger scale ASKEA IV-LAKE initiative, coordinated by EUROPOL and involving numerous European stakeholders. It is intended to break up the underground networks which facilitate eel trafficking and remove the incentives for new groups engaging in illegal activity. The Sustainable Eel Group continues to work closely with enforcement agencies on projects such as these to ensure a responsible and legitimate fishery, recognising that only unified action will secure their future of eel in Europe’s waterways.