Interpol have confirmed the seizure of nearly 20,000 live animals – all endangered or protected species – in an operation that involved intelligence gathering across 138 countries.
Operation Thunder 2024 brought together police, customs, border control, forestry and wildlife officials, marking the widest participation since the operation began in 2017, resulting in 365 arrests and identification of six transnational criminal networks.
The illegal trade in wild species is one of the most profitable criminal activities in the world, estimated to be worth up to $23 billion each year – with virtually every country involved.
