Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1534065
5 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 4 APRIL 2025 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 In most cases officers attended quickly and managed to apprehend the poachers on their trapping sites. Photos released by CABS today show policemen dismantling nets and seizing cages with freshly caught finches. According to CABS, a total of 40 sets of clap nets, 10 electronic bird callers and 85 live finches were seized during the op- erations. 19 men were identified and will face charges. Among them is also an old 'acquaintance' of CABS who was filmed and reported in 2019 for the same offence as well as for exposing his private parts to the conservationists. He also tried to run them over in his car in front of EPU officers. "Back then the man was taken to court where our team leader gave a detailed witness statement. Unfortunately, the court lost the transcript of this testimo- ny and the whole case had to be heard again. Due to this delay the case was fi- nally time-barred and the man was left unscathed," CABS Wildlife Crime Officer Fiona Burrows said. "We assume that the new case will be handled without such a mishap and that he finally can be held accountable". CABS also said that many poachers re- used sites registered in autumn as "live capturing stations" for the so-called "finch research project" which is being overseen by the Government´s Wild Bird Regulation Unit (WBRU). "The cases from this spring add to the mountain of evidence proving that this so-called 'science project' is nothing more than a smokescreen designed for the sole purpose of protecting and appeasing poachers to secure their votes", CABS Press Officer Axel Hirschfeld concluded. CABS teams will be present in Malta and Gozo until the end of the bird migra- tion season in May. 19 poachers caught red-handed, 85 live birds confiscated by police CABS teams will be present in Malta and Gozo until the end of the bird migration season in May (Photo: CABS)