Drug Dealers Busted in Mexico Yield Hundreds of Exotic Animals

Earlier this month (December, 2008) Mexican authorities served search and arrest warrants on several big time drug dealer kingpins, seizing their estates, cars and belongings, and charging them with enough crimes to put them away in prison. But there is another problem that they are finding: many big time drug dealers are obsessed with exotic animals. Case and point: a recent drug bust in San Simon de Guerrero, Mexico, netted 193 exotic animals, from zebras to white tigers, even monkeys. And, Mexican authorities are at ends on how they can care for the animals and find them homes in the where while, as the Mexican zoos are already too overpopulated to house the animals. You can read the full news story Here Why Big Time Drug Dealers are Infatuated with Exotic Animals Big time drug dealers and czars have always been obsessed with exotic animals. Most experts say it has to do with a combination of ego and fear; some exotic animals invoke fear into people and the drug dealers thrive on this notion. Others say that the lavishness and rarity of the animals are what attract dealers. For example, the above aforementioned drug bust that yielded nearly two hundred animals, was seized from a 3500 acre estate that had many full time employees hired just to care for the animals. An issue that some experts say is also to blame: the drug dealers like owning the animals because they know they are expensive to own, and it makes them feel like they own status symbols with each animal. Recent News Shows Hundreds of Exotic Animals Seized With Drug Bust The above news article is not the only one that shows drug dealers loving exotic animals. A recent bust in the USA yielded 23 alligators from a drug dealer’s estate, and other famous drugs busts have yielded hundreds more, all from kingpin dealers that have a statement to make. If you take on the mind of the fear inspiring drug dealer that will kill an opponent in a heartbeat just to make an extra buck faster, then it does make some sense. They invite others over and show off by petting a wild tiger, a display of confidence and fearlessness that they wish to purvey onto others with whom they do business. The Government has a Hard Time Taking Care of the Seized Animals The worst part about this is the fate of the exotic animals. Officials in Mexico spend around $350 per day feeding six large wild cats that were recently seized. The zoos have no room or money for them and there is not exactly a long line of people waiting to adopt the animals. Furthermore, only certain people, organizations and zoos are able to legally adopt the animals. Because they are cared for in a domestic setting, they are not able to simply be released back into the wild, as they would struggle for survival. Perhaps the best bet at finding these poor animals a home would be for a rights activist group to step up to the plate and created habitat for these seized animals, where they can enjoy the rest of their days without being abused any further, or subjected to cramped quarters and being constantly moved around from location to location.