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Mexico City: Mexican military forces targeting a black-market fuel smuggling ring in the border state of Tamaulipas rescued 135 animals from a ranch, including Bengal tigers, hyenas, and a camel.
The military raid on five properties yielded 68,000 liters of illicit diesel, fuel tanks, pumps, firearms, and tools, resulting in the arrest of one individual.
While Mexican authorities frequently discover exotic animals at properties belonging to drug traffickers, this menagerie was uncovered during an anti-fuel smuggling operation.
The seized animals include lions, jaguars, mandrills, spider monkeys, buffalo, an American bison, sulcata tortoises, and a green macaw. Authorities confirmed that 35 of the rescued animals belong to species officially classified as endangered.
Smuggling fuel from the United States into Mexico to resell tax-free has emerged as a major income stream for organized crime gangs and drug cartels.
The raid follows broader crackdowns on fuel theft in Tamaulipas, where high-ranking officials and navy personnel have previously been implicated in multi-billion-liter black market operations.
