A fine of two thousand euros was imposed on a man who pleaded guilty to offenses related to bird trapping since January in the area of Dasaki Achnas.
A statement from the British Bases states that "during a joint operation, carried out in the morning hours of last week, by the Police of the Bases and members of the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS), the man was arrested in possession of eight fresh dead gummies, two nets and an active bird imitation device. During the operation, members of the CABS team reported hearing an imitation device coming from a semi-fenced orchard.'
Once the man became aware of Base Police approaching the area, he "attempted to escape, however he was arrested and admitted the bird trapping offences," it added.
Dekelia Assistant Police Chief Panikos Panagi, "who oversees the special Community Action Team (CAT), which is responsible for anti-bird trapping operations, said heavy fines for would-be trappers are to continue."
He added that "there has been much discussion about the possibility of reducing the fines for bird trapping offences, but we remain committed to ensuring that those caught carrying out this illegal activity are brought to justice and face serious penalties". "This latest successful prosecution demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that fines remain high and act as a deterrent to those caught," he noted.
As Mr. Panagi said "our close working relationships with CABS and other organizations such as Bird Life Cyprus, show our commitment to this issue and there will be no abandonment in these joint ventures".
It is noted that "last month, officials revealed that over the next year, the Force is confident of securing extra funding to add new technology to combat bird trapping, including better surveillance equipment, with upgraded drones and cameras."
The announcement also states that "since the introduction of the Police Action Plan on Bird Trapping in 2016, this illegal activity has reduced by almost 100% within British Bases".
