The Kamchatka Krai Regional Investigations Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case against three citizens of the regional centre (born in 1950, 1968 and 1970). They are suspected of commiting a serious crime under Part 3 of Article 258.1 of the Criminal Code of Russia (illegal capturing, housing and possession of highly valuable wild animals belonging to a species put in the Red Book of the Russian Federation – wild birds of the order Falconidae – gyrfalcons).

According to the investigators, since November and up to the 3rd of December, 2019, that is, up to the moment law enforcement officers found and seized the birds, an organised group of three people illegally obtained, housed and possessed 21 wild birds of the order Falconidae – gyrfalcons in an apartment near Tereshkova street and in a garage near Voytseshek street in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

Criminal activities of the organised group led to damage of more than 23 billion rubles to the Russian Federation.

After seizing and examination the birds were transferred to an expert ornithologist to assess their condition and decide whether they can be put into a natural environment.

The following equipment was seized in the facilities used by the perpetrators and in their houses during the operating procedures and apprehension of the perpetrators in the case: various equipment for housing and possessing captured birds in captivity, as well as for feeding and transportation of birds, multiple traces of illegal housing of birds were also discovered.

At this point urgent investigative actions are conducted with the detained people, the restrictive measures are under consideration. 

The crime was discovered and the probe is conducted with operating support from the officers of the Federal Security Service Directorate in Kamchatka Krai, the Federal Security Service Border Directorate in the Eastern Polar Region and the Department of Economic Security and Anti-Corruption Enforcement of Kamchatka Krai Regional Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

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