Campaigns and Activism for Animals in the Industry (CAAI) and the Brazilian organization “Forum Animal” (Fórum Nacional de Proteção e Defesa Animal) helped uncover a new case of animal abuse in Brazil. This was achieved thanks to the exceptional cooperation of the local Federal Police and the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA).
On November 22nd (Saturday), in the city of Belém in northern Brazil, the Federal Police launched Operation Bestia (“Atrocity”) to combat a criminal scheme responsible for producing, selling, and distributing videos featuring extreme violence, including abuse and torture of animals to death, with pornographic elements. The victims included dozens of cats, rabbits, chicks, and other animals.
Search and seizure warrants were executed against the main suspects, along with a preventive arrest order. They will be investigated for “environmental crimes, criminal association, and cruel exploitation of animals for commercial purposes.”
Investigators uncovered a structured network operating through messaging platforms, with participants from different countries. The content had been systematically sold and distributed, and it was brought to the attention of Brazilian authorities after a complaint sent from Bulgaria by the CAAI association to the Brazilian organisation “Forum Animal”.
After receiving the tip, the Brazilian organization immediately notified local authorities. The police identified and located the perpetrators, and just one month after the report was filed, succeeded in arresting them. During the search of their residence, in addition to materials related to animal abuse, they also found materials involving sexual exploitation of children (CSAM).
“The investigations continue based on the seized materials, with the goal of identifying all participants in the scheme, whose behavior represents a serious violation of the dignity of animals and the fundamental principles of respect and ethics in society,” stated the Federal Police in the state of Pará.
The Brazilian Forum Animal emphasized the importance of coordinated actions between animal-protection organizations as well as national and international authorities in combating crimes of this nature, considered highly serious and socially impactful.
“CAAI thanks the ‘Forum Animal’ and the Brazilian authorities for their extremely swift response, cooperation, and intervention. Both the animal-protection organizations and the authorities were appalled by these brutal acts of zoosadism and zoophilia. As with the case of the perpetrators from Pernik, these videos prove that there is no limit to human cruelty. During the search of the crime scene, materials involving sexual violence against children were also found on the perpetrators’ devices. This once again highlights the link between violence against animals and how it can escalate toward humans,” said Petya Altimirska, chairperson of CAAI.
Recently, CAAI received an invitation and officially became part of the international Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition (SMACC). The goal of the coalition is to unite organizations so that societies in different countries can understand and put an end to the spread of animal cruelty on social media.
END
If you like the work of CAAI, please support us, so we can continue our mission to help animals.
Photos
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1esDBY6lUd5oDD1O6FjNzeHP526cYLViM?usp=sharing
Official press release of the Brazilian Federal Police
Contacts and additional information
Petya Altimirska (Chair of CAAI)
+359 895 760 754
