On their boat, the gendarmes discovered 188 kg of thumb-foot. Last week, two Spaniards suspected of trafficking this highly prized crustacean were arrested by the police in Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys, Morbihan. "For several months, Rennes investigators from the Central Office for the Fight against Environmental and Public Health Violations (OCLAESP) have been investigating illegal fishing networks of thumb-foot," explains the gendarmerie in a statement.
Very popular with the Spaniards, the crustacean can be sold for up to 15 euros per kilo on the Iberian Peninsula. According to the investigators, the two defendants were arrested in the middle of the night "after a fishing action". One of them allegedly tried to flee by sea during the intervention of the gendarmerie. The 188 kg of thumb-foot discovered on their boat were immediately put back in the water.
More than 2,500 kg caught illegally
Tried in immediate appearance, one of the two traffickers was given a two-year suspended sentence. In total, he would have fished 2,500 kg of thumb-foot on the Brittany coast, for an estimated amount of 375,000 euros. His boat was seized. The second individual will be tried at a later date.
- Rennes
- Ille-et-Vilaine
- Brittany
- Valves
- Fishing
- Traffic
- Sea
- Spain
- Poaching
- Society
- Planet
- Threatened species