It comes after the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) urged households to keep away from being tempted into shopping for puppies on-line as presents amid fears the money could also be utilized by prison gangs to “prey on native communities all through Scotland”.
They declare that illegally bred dogs bought by means of a black-market commerce on social media or small advert websites have been recognized as a “important” income for crime gangs.
Due to this, these on the forefront of investigating and prosecuting such gangs have issued a stark warning to locals within the run-up to Christmas over the risks of shopping for puppies from unlicensed breeders.
COPFS say they’re additionally involved the money raised from unauthorised pooch sellers may very well be laundered to assist drug traffickers and different prison exercise as a part of a multi-million-pound enterprise.
A Scottish Multi-Agency Strategic Threat Assessment report printed final yr reported that the marketplace for illegally traded puppies is estimated at £13million.
Meanwhile, the Scottish SPCA has obtained 336 calls in reference to puppy farms and puppy breading, whereas many animals later endure extreme well being issues and both cost their new house owners enormous vets’ invoice or are to sick to outlive.
As a part of the warning, mother and father are being urged to double-check the legitimacy of sellers if they’re shopping for their kids a canine for Christmas.
Kenny Donnelly, Deputy Crown Agent for Specialist Casework on the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service mentioned: “We perceive the favored attraction of shopping for a puppy for Christmas.
“But it is crucial that individuals are conscious that unscrupulous breeders are working on-line and concentrating on unsuspecting members of the general public.
“We are conscious that organised crime gangs have infiltrated this exercise and proceed to make use of the massive earnings they accrue from it to inflict widespread hurt on communities all through Scotland.
“Illegal puppy farming has grown considerably amongst severe organised crime gangs as a manner of elevating finance. It performs a component in financing crime in Scotland.
“These gangs are concerned within the distribution of unlawful medicine and money laundering.
“Therefore, it’s critically essential that anybody contemplating shopping for a puppy is conscious of the pitfalls in respect of not shopping for from official canine breeders and unintentionally supporting this merciless and unlawful commerce which exploits pets and causes them horrible struggling.
“This commerce is inevitably extra centered at Christmas so we’d significantly urge individuals to solely purchase puppies from correctly licensed breeders.
“By doing this, you are also helping to choke off a revenue supply to serious organised crime gangs and reducing the harm they inflict on Scottish communities.”
Scottish SPCA chief superintendent, Mike Flynn mentioned: “Although the low-welfare commerce in puppies has slowed because of the ending of lockdown and the cost-of-living disaster, we all know that unscrupulous breeders are nonetheless on the market concentrating on unsuspecting members of the general public.
“Trafficked pups typically look high-quality when they’re bought, however issues will begin to indicate at a later stage.
“Our message to most of the people stays the identical – don’t purchase on-line or from somebody the place it’s not possible to confirm the place the canine is definitely coming from.
“The solely manner this may disappear, and other people cease profiteering on the expense of those dogs, is that if public demand stops.”
While Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry, Police Scotland’s Head of Organised Crime added: “We know organised criminals will take each alternative to use individuals to make revenue from illicit actions, and canine breeding is just not immune.
“Anyone contemplating shopping for a puppy ought to analysis the potential breeder fastidiously, as unauthorised breeding can have a big affect on the welfare of dogs.
“Police Scotland continues to work closely with our colleagues in the Serious Organised Crime taskforce to target those involved and investigate any illegal trading.”
