Poaching gang arrested in Veluwe, the Netherlands

Illegal poaching gang weapons, confiscated in the Veluwe region in the Netherlands

Translated from NOS TV in the Netherlands today:

In Barneveld town and the surrounding area ten people have been arrested in an investigation into illegal arms trafficking and poaching. In house searches dozens of weapons, including double-barreled shotguns, rifles, a handgun, alarm pistols and an electroshock weapon have been found.

Also silencers and ammunition have been seized, as well as two vehicles and a large amount of meat from illegal shooting of protected species.

The main suspect is a man of 28 years old from Barneveld. He has, according to the police, no hunting permit and no gun license, but he did have several weapons and ammunition in his house. Presumably he regularly hunted wild boar, deer, ducks, rabbits, pigeons and geese.

Poachers

He is also said to have delivered weapons to other poachers in Gelderland. Nine of them have also been arrested.

There were three houses and business premises searched in Barneveld and four houses in the municipality of Ede. In the raids also documents were seized.

The police work in the investigation into arms trafficking and poaching together with the Forestry Department and the Geldersch Landschap conservation organisation.