At the beginning of April, a two-year investigation against an organised criminal group illegally exporting glass eels to Asia. The operation led to the successful arrest of 10 members of the OCG, the seizure of 350 kg of live glass eels, and €40,000 in cash.

The European glass eel (Anguilla anguilla) is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora with a zero quota ban on shipments to non-EU countries.

Operation Elvers was conducted by the Spanish Guardia Civil, Portuguese authorities, and Europol under the umbrella of Project Lake, a project launched by Europol to counter environmental crime.