Jackie Cameron: Dogs: A money-laundering currency

"The illegal trade in dogs has become so lucrative that criminal gangs have been swapping drugs and weapons for doe-eyed pups," writes Jackie Cameron.

Published on:

23 Apr 2021, 5:48 am

Criminal gangs are swapping drugs and weapons for doe-eyed pups.

This time last year dogs made the headlines of the Financial Times, a global financial newspaper better known for dry, sophisticated analyses of business and share charts than heart-melting pictures of cute animals. It noted that prices for pups were soaring in the UK along with demand for new pets among people forced to stay at home during the pandemic.

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Since then, the pet market across Europe has exploded. The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) finds, after an investigation, that the illegal trade in dogs has become so lucrative that criminal gangs have been swapping drugs and weapons for doe-eyed pups. At least 8m new dogs are now required to supply Europe annually, while only 1m come from official breeding facilities.