A Spanish judge has handed down the world’s largest fine for eel smuggling, striking a blow against Europe’s least known but most profitable wildlife crime.

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The smuggler, whose identity was not revealed, was given a 15-month prison sentence for trafficking a protected species, according to a statement from the court published on Monday. He was ordered to pay €7.2 million, the value of the damage to the environment calculated by the regional agriculture ministry.

For the full story see:  The Times