Five Maltese Nationals Detained In Kyrgyzstan For Smuggling Protected Birds
Five Maltese citizens were detained earlier this month at Manas International Airport in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, after they were caught attempting to smuggle dozens of protected birds out of the country.
The arrests took place on 4th April, as part of a joint operation between the Kyrgyz Department for Bioresources Control and the Department for Combating Smuggling and Customs Violations, under the Ministries of Natural Resources and Finance.
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Photos released by the Kyrgyz Ministry of Natural Resources show several confiscated bird specimens, including species like Ruddy Shelduck, Mallard, and Eurasian Curlew. Authorities said the birds were being illegally exported and had been obtained through unauthorised hunting.
Following the arrests, eight administrative charges were filed against the five individuals: five under Article 262 for illegal transport, storage, and sale of wildlife, and three under Article 261(2) for illegal hunting.
The group was fined 180,000 Kyrgyzstani som (approximately €1,900), with an additional 270,000 som (around €2,800) in damages claimed by the country’s Environmental and Technical Supervision Service.
All case materials have since been handed over to Kyrgyz law enforcement, with investigations still ongoing.
It remains unclear whether the Maltese citizens are still in Kyrgyzstan or have been permitted to leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
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