Full Breakdown
Colombian Airport Intercept Stops Monkey Smuggling Attempt, One Infant Dies
5/17/2026, 7:56:01 PM
Smuggling Attempt Intercepted at Rafael Núñez International Airport
On May 13, Cartagena Metropolitan Police stopped two individuals at Rafael Núñez International Airport in Cartagena, Colombia, after detecting an attempt to traffic three infant monkeys to the Dominican Republic. The monkeys, each roughly one month old, were concealed in the suspects’ intimate clothing: one was hidden in a man’s genitals, and the other two were placed in a woman’s breast cups.
Key Figures and Agencies Involved
- Cartagena Metropolitan Police – Conducted the interception and made the arrests.
- Environmental Public Establishment of Cartagena (EPA) – Provided species identification, age estimates, and health assessments of the monkeys.
- Brigadier General Gelver Yecid Peña Araque – Spokesperson for the EPA who commented on the condition of the animals.
Data on the Infant Monkeys
- Number of animals: Three.
- Species: One brown spider monkey; two white-faced monkeys.
- Age: Approximately one month old.
- Outcome: One monkey died, suspected of suffocation while concealed. The remaining two were rescued in a state described as dehydrated, weak, and barely clinging to life, and are now under EPA custody.
Official Statements from Colombian Authorities
The EPA, through Brigadier General Gelver Yecid Peña Araque, characterized the death as occurring under “conditions that we can only describe as inhumane.” EPA officials further reported that the surviving monkeys were “dehydrated, weak, barely clinging to life” when taken into care. The police have not released additional details regarding the suspects’ identities or forthcoming legal actions.
Criticism of the Smuggling Method
Authorities highlighted the extreme risk to animal welfare posed by concealing live primates in body cavities and clothing, emphasizing that such practices contravene humane treatment standards and exacerbate the illegal wildlife trade.
Conflicting Reports and Information Gaps
- Cause of death: Rescuers suspect suffocation, but no definitive forensic confirmation is provided.
- Current health status: The EPA’s latest update notes the monkeys are in care, yet no further medical outcomes are disclosed.
- Suspect details: Names, charges, and judicial proceedings remain unspecified in the available reporting.
Verbatim Quotes
- “One of them, a brown spider monkey, was being hidden in a man’s genitals,” — Environmental Public Establishment of Cartagena (video translation)
- “The other two, white-faced monkeys, were being carried by a woman hidden in her clothing, one in each breast cup.” — Environmental Public Establishment of Cartagena (video translation)
- “The animal died in conditions that we can only describe as inhumane,” — Brigadier General Gelver Yecid Peña Araque
- “dehydrated, weak, barely clinging to life,” — Environmental Public Establishment of Cartagena
*The incident underscores ongoing challenges in curbing illicit wildlife trafficking across the Caribbean region.*
