More than 20 are arrested in mega operation against illegal hunting and weapons trafficking

A group suspected of illegal hunting of wild animals and illegal firearms trade was the target of an operation by the Civil Police of Paraná, this Tuesday (16). To date, 23 people have been temporarily arrested and other targets are at large.

In total, 63 court orders were complied with in Paraná, Santa Catarina and Mato Grosso, including 31 arrest warrants and 32 search and seizure warrants. More than 150 police officers participate in the offensive, which has the support of ICMBio (Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation) and IAT (Water and Land Institute)

According to the police, investigations began in July 2025, after an anonymous complaint about firearms trading in a messaging app group.

"In addition to the sale of weapons and ammunition, we found that the group was used by members to disseminate and share photos and videos of illegal hunting of wild animals", informed delegate Guilherme Dias.

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In online groups, agents identified hunters who displayed dead wild animals. Among them, species such as brocket deer, agouti and paca.

In addition, criminals published material related to mistreatment of dogs used in hunting. The investigation showed that the animals were subjected to food deprivation and other techniques to make them more efficient and aggressive during hunting.

In total, 15 dogs were rescued. The animals were found with several scars and extremely thin.

Source: CNN