Dog Mafia from the Balkans turns over billions of euros from dog sales

A Deutsche Welle journalist has reported about illegal sales of dogs in Germany, which is suspected to be the work of the Dog Mafia from the Balkans, who are making billions in this way. The business is so valuable that the profits can be compared to those from drug or arms trade.

The German Animal Protection Association estimates that most dogs illegally exported from Eastern Europe and the Balkans end up on the German market.

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The video released by Deutsche Welle also shows the moment when one of the sellers tries to sell a dog.

"Oh he's so cute! Where's he from?," a woman asks.

"He should be from Serbia," said the seller, who didn't know if the dog was vaccinated - but the price was 500 euros.

Dogs are bought cheaply and then sold for three or four times more in Germany. Stray dogs are also exported. Corrupt vets play a big role in all this. Eight out of ten ads on eBay are placed by buyers who are not serious.

Within the EU, puppies can only be exported once they are 15 weeks old. They must first be given all the necessary vaccines.

The Deutsche Welle reporter also recorded an operation to arrest smugglers, spoke with representatives of the German Animal Protection Association and tried to track down criminal groups in Romania.

Otherwise, Romania's Dog Mafia allegedly has a different tactic - as mostly street dogs are being exported.

(Telegraf Biznis/Deutsche Welle)