ECENA Train the Trainer Programme28 April 2009Eger, Hungary

Dr Zoltán Illés, Gergely Bánhegyi

5 November 2001Border station of UdvarItalian refrigerator van was checked2 persons (driver and hunter, hunter fled)881 carcasses of games in season and 11.668

carcasses of protected and highly protected birds were found

Conservation value 300 m HUF (1 m EUR)

Border station in Baranya countyHunting permits from Bács-Kiskun countyJoint investigation group

Police from both countiesNature conservation, hunting and veterinary

authoritiesSub-committee of the Committee for

Environmental Affairs of the Hungarian Parliament

Valid hunting permits from Agricultural OfficeHungarian hunting societies assisted, as usualEvidences:

Size of pelletsHungarian bills, abbreviation, wordsAlluring techniques (decoy-birds, imitation of

sound, whistles, foils, nets) – all forbiddenFalse lead seals, wire, glue, drilling, engraving

tools38 protected species (8 highly and 2 of them

globally endangered species)

From 1 January 2001 until 5 November 2001 36 hunting permits on 17 hunting grounds for Italian hunters

Travel agency (without valid permit) organised the huntings and was the consigner of the cargo

Irregualrities at hunting registers, shoot-listsIn 2001 100.000 HUF (350 EUR) fine for

irregularities

Beginning of 2002: 11 suspects, 5 of them under arrest, 1 on the run (warrant of arrest)

Accused withDamage to the natureTheftForgery of official documentsBribery

17 February 2005: first instance court decision3 years 4 months: head of the travel agency

and a hunter2 years: 1 Hungarian suspect1 year 10 months: 3 Hungarian suspects5 months on provision: 1 hunter10 months on provision: 1 hunterOthers: fine

September 2005: second instance court abolished the first instance judgement (procedural failure)

End of 2006: new first instance judgement – no significant changes on the merit

7 June 2007: final second instance judgement – bit lower sentences(compensation, time has passed)

Hungary is a favoured destination for hunters from Austria, Germany, Italy – problems with Italians

Organised criminal groupsGastronomy reasons (10 grams meat from

one bird)2000-2002: 400.000 carcasses of protected

birds found on the Hungarian and on the Italian borders altogether

TRAFFIC – WWF and IUCN project ‘The Illegal Trade in Wild Birds for Food through South-East and Central Europe’

Interpol EcomessageEU-TWIX seizure database

Ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca)