Mexico Police Seize Dozens of Exotic Animals

Officials raiding a property near the Mexican capital have seized 25 exotic animals, including lions, pumas and a Bengal tiger.

They had been alerted to “suspicious activity” at the ranch in Huixquilucan, west of Mexico City.

They also found pumps thought to have been used to steal petrol from fuel pipelines.

Criminals in Mexico often keep exotic animals as pets and a number of large cats have been seized in recent years.

The site where the animals were found is thought to have been used by a gang specialising in stealing and selling fuel.

Agents found a container with 14,000l of diesel, as well as several large vehicles such as lorries and buses, which they say may have been stolen.

A total of 47 live animals were at the property, some of which were kept in cages. They also seized seven dead animals, which had been stuffed.

The trafficking of animals is a lucrative business in Mexico, with criminal gangs increasingly buying and selling exotic species for profit.