Khaberni - A court in Moscow sentenced a citizen of the United Arab Emirates to 6 years in prison for attempting to smuggle endangered gyrfalcon (saker) falcons in Russia.
The Russian Federal Security Service previously reported that in December 2022, investigators opened a criminal case against a foreigner and three Russians involved in an attempt to smuggle endangered gyrfalcon falcons to the Middle East. By order of the court, the foreigner was kept in detention. The illegally captured gyrfalcon falcons were confiscated and after being examined, they were released back into the wild.
According to the judicial documents reviewed by the "Novosti" agency, an Emirati citizen and Russians prepared to smuggle 5 gyrfalcon (saker) falcons worth more than 11.3 million rubles. It was revealed that the third Russian was a hired driver, unaware of the group's plans, and he made confessions as a witness.
The agency, quoting judicial documents, reported that the Emirati citizen pleaded not guilty and insisted he had not committed any crime, but the court found the evidence convincing.
It was added that he was convicted of committing the crimes of illegal trafficking in valuable biological resources and attempting to smuggle particularly valuable wildlife, and was sentenced to 6 years in prison.
The court also sentenced one of his partners from Russia to 5 and a half years in prison with a suspended sentence. Another Russian citizen was sentenced to two and a half years with a suspended sentence, after reaching a plea agreement before trial.
