Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Police and state prosecutors raided the exotic animal store Animalandia Maya on Friday morning, arresting five people including the owner, former municipal councilman Félix Sandoval, on charges of animal cruelty and environmental crimes.
The operation began around 10:30 a.m. on Quinta Avenida between 12th and 14th streets, surprising tourists and locals. Officers from the Municipal Police and the State Prosecutor’s Office (FGE) executed a search warrant as part of an investigation into crimes against the environment and wildlife.
Authorities confirmed the detention of five individuals. Sandoval, the store’s owner and a former councilman, was taken into custody and will face a judge to determine his legal status. Environmental officials participated in securing the animals and assessing their health, though the exact number of rescued specimens has not been released.
Solidaridad Mayor Estefanía Mercado celebrated the joint operation with the state’s Sustainable Environment and Climate Change Secretariat in a video message on social media, calling it an unprecedented step. “This type of intervention seeks to establish order in the city and address complaints about practices outside the legal framework,” she said.
Animalandia Maya has a history of legal troubles. In August 2022, the store was seized after drugs were found on the premises. In March 2023, prosecutors again intervened after discovering a suitcase containing more than 2,000 doses of narcotics, leading to repeated closures and reopenings.
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