In the airport in Mexico City, a man was discovered with 18 Titi monkeys strapped to his waist. These monkeys, much like many other endangered species, are traded on the black market for high profit margins. The Titi monkeys were found by airport police, who later arrested the smuggler. If Roberto Zavaleta Sol Cabrera had really sold the Titi monkeys he was trying to smuggle, he would have made $ 27,000 or more.
Titi monkeys found in Mexico City airport
In the Mexico City International Airport, airport police spotted a man who looked “very nervous.” Roberto Zavaleta Sol Cabrera was “trying to conceal a large lump in his jumpsuit.” The police were curious at his actions, and they discovered the 18 Titi monkeys under his clothes. Stuffed into socks and strapped to his waist, two of the monkeys had already died. The claim of the smuggler is that he transported the monkeys like this to “protect them from x-ray scanners.”
Who the Titi monkey is
The Titi is a family of small monkeys that are native to South America. Between 10 and 22 inches long, the monkeys have long, soft fur. The monkeys are omnivorous, and eat a wide variety of things. The Titi monkey is a protected species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The government of Mexico also has strict laws against the importation and trade of Titi monkeys. Despite these restrictions, trade in primates as pets is big business, especially in Mexico.
Profit for black market animals is big
Though many animals are either limited or banned in many countries, there is a thriving black market trade. The Titi monkeys were purchased for $ 30 apiece by the smuggler. If Roberto had sold the monkeys in Mexico City, they would have been worth $ 1,550 each. The monkeys would are sold for $ 3,000 or more in the United States. The black market trade in animals is very dangerous for the pet buyers and also the animals, but is proving very difficult to quash.
