POLICE YESTERDAY arrested six people during a large-scale anti-poaching dawn raid across the areas of Aradippou, Maroni and Lefkara using a police helicopter.
The operation took place from 6.30am until 12pm, with the focus on combating trapping, killing, capturing and trading in protected game.
According to police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos, armed with court orders, police searched 13 residences and two enclosed open spaces during which they found and confiscated 550 protected wild birds, including ampelopoulia (blackcaps), three frozen hares, tape recordings of bird sounds, 211 lime sticks and ten nets measuring 20 metres by five metres.
Three of the protected birds were live birds of prey and were handed over to the Game Fund to arrange for their return to their natural habitat.
Larnaca Press y reported that the raid began early morning in the farming area of Maroni with residents waking to the sound of a low-flying police helicopter, from which three trained officers rappelled down a rope and onto a hill.
Next to the hill was an enclosed space around 800 donums large, housing dogs trained to catch hares. Around 30 men from the police rapid reaction unit (MMAD) arrived at the scene in 15 vehicles.
Speaking to the press, Katsounotos added that police also confiscated a double-barrel shotgun and are now investigating whether the weapon can be connected to any previous crime.
Four live hares were found held in captivity in an enclosed space probably for training purposes, along with a large number of hunting dogs that were not registered, said Katsounotos.
He added that a rolled cigarette likely appearing to contain a small quantity of cannabis was also found in one of the houses searched.
The spokesman pointed out that one of the open spaces searched by police was protected by an electric fence.
Six people were arrested in total who will be charged in writing and released once investigations are completed, said the spokesman. Two of the six have troubled police in the past on issues related to the trade of protected game.
According to sources, one of those arrested is considered to be a “big fish” in the poaching world, and has been known to walk around with armed guards.
In the house of one of those arrested, police found €13,240, £6,545 Sterling and US$2,400. The man allegedly told police the money came from selling gold to hotels.
Members of the rapid reaction unit (MMAD), police HQ’s CID, and Drugs Squad took part in the raid. The police helicopter was also used to monitor the enclosed areas being searched, due to the large area covered and lack of accessibility, said Katsounotos.
Martin Hellicar of the conservation NGO, Birdlife Cyprus told the Cyprus Mail yesterday: “We very much welcome this decisive action. We congratulate the law enforcement authorities involved.”
He added: “The action is long overdue. We hope it will be followed up with similar decisive actions and actions against the restaurants serving ampelopoulia.”
