A Maltese man is facing animal cruelty charges after Italian financial police found 300 tortoises and 77 parrots packed into his car at the Sicilian port of Pozzallo. The animals were discovered near the boarding area for a Malta-bound catamaran during an inspection on Monday, 5 October 2026.
Police stated the man was transporting numerous animals in a car that lacked adequate space and temperature control. Veterinarian checks subsequently revealed that 76 of the parrots belong to species protected by the Washington Convention, an international agreement established in 1973 to safeguard endangered plants and animals from international trade. Police described the seizure as one of the most significant under the convention.
The Maltese man faces charges of keeping animals in conditions incompatible with their nature, causing them severe suffering, and breaching laws governing international trade in protected species. The seized animals have been entrusted to a breeding facility.