A man, a fugitive from Spanish Justice since 2020, has been extradited from Venezuela by the Civil Guard.
The now detained man was being investigated as he was the owner of a farm, located in Burgos, in which there were numerous animals in terrible conditions.
After being located, intercepted and detained in Venezuela, he arrived in Spain this Thursday and will be tried for crimes of animal abuse and theft of property.
The international arrest warrant was issued by the Investigative Court number 2 of Burgos in February 2020, when the Civil Guard searched his properties and learned that he had left Spain.
In fact, Interpol launched a cooperation network of police forces from around the world to work together with the aim of finding the whereabouts of the fugitive.
Once the investigation was opened, Benémerita agents managed to find the man’s whereabouts in a region of Mexico and, years later, in Venezuela. Thanks to the police collaboration of both countries, it has been possible to proceed with his arrest and subsequent extradition.
Research since 2013
The origins of the investigation date back to 2013, the year in which Seprona inspected the facilities of this hatchery to verify that the hygienic-sanitary and animal welfare standards were met, and always ended with an administrative complaint for deficiencies and irregularities.
In 2019, the agents intensified their actions, verifying the poor condition in which the animals were found, which is why the breeder was arrested accused of committing a crime of animal abuse.
Many of the 147 dogs in the kennel suffered from extreme thinness and illnesses and were also deprived of veterinary care.
It would be that same year that the breeder would be arrested again, although, this time, for the scam committed during the sale of a dog. And again, just a few months later, within the framework of a new inspection for animal abuse as the same negligence and precarious conditions persist in the pets.
It would not be until 2020 when, with the breeder already on the run, Seprona would carry out four searches: in two homes, in the kennel itself and on a farm.
On one floor, officers found several dead dogs – including a puppy in a bag in the freezer. Fortunately, 38 dogs were rescued alive even though they were abandoned, without any water or food.
At the hatchery, for its part, the Civil Guard found a plastic container in which more bodies lay, some of which showed signs of having been victims of cannibalistic practices. The autopsies of the bodies confirmed that the death was due to their total abandonment.
