Poachers in Gozo fled the scene of the crime after police did not go to the correct location as given to them by the Malta Ranger Unit, according to the environmental NGO. 

The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon, when the MRU’s team in Gozo reported two adjacent finch-trapping sites to the police. The sites were active despite the trapping season being closed. 

“Exact coordinates were given to the officers, yet they went to a different area far away, leading to one of the poachers spotting them and fleeing from the site,” the MRU wrote on Facebook. A video shared by the group shows the alleged poachers fleeing the scene. 

Alleged poachers in Gozo can be seen fleeing the scene. Credit: Malta Ranger Unit / Facebook

The NGO said that while officers “slowly” made their way to the second site, the other two poachers seen in the video noticed them and started to pack up their gear and walk off. 

“Seeing that the police didn't run, obviously the poachers took their time and escaped successfully (they think),” the MRU said, adding that it was as if they knew they would get away with it. 

The MRU said that without specially trained Environmental Protection Unit police officers being deployed to Gozo, as they are in Malta, environmental crimes would continue to be commonplace on the island. 

“Many Gozo officers are seemingly not trained to understand how to enter coordinates into Google maps, leading to environmental criminals escaping easily,” the NGO said, adding that it had raised the issue with the police superintendent in Gozo, but had been ignored despite several reminders. 

The group accused Clint Camilleri, whose Gozo ministry is also in charge of the Wild Birds Regulation Unit, of remaining silent on the issue of poaching and the fact that the island has “zero” enforcement to protect its nature and biodiversity. 

The MRU also directly addressed environment minister Miriam Dalli, inviting her to meet so it could show her the video, ”to give an idea of how bad the situation is in Gozo."

The NGO concluded by saying it had identified the alleged poachers. 

“Our Rangers will continue to patrol Gozo, all year around. They will document all cases of crimes against nature and highlight the good ones, but also the failed,” it said. 

A request for comment from the police regarding the incident remained unanswered at the time of writing.

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