From the 20Minutes:
https://www.20min.ch/story/zwei-hund...n-808245972204
A quick recap of the article:
Two people were arrested in Geneva on Monday, suspected of having illegally brought at least 24 puppies and five kittens into Switzerland.
According to the Geneva Departement für Sicherheit, Arbeit und Gesundheit, the unknown origin of the animals had been "washed" through a Swiss certificate of origin.
The arrest of the two people had been preceded by months of investigations. One of them is a repeat offender. They mainly sold Maltese dogs and kittens of various other breeds. The animals of unknown origin were subsequently fitted with Swiss microchips by Geneva veterinarians.
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It has been said many times in many threads but it bears repeating until this horrid trade is wiped out:
The 'Dark Side' is a real problem in Switzerland. Illegal importation - smuggling puppies and kittens - is very lucrative here, largely because this is a wealthy country with too many naive pet buyers. Buying from dodgy dealers only ensures that more animals suffer abuse. Please do not support these barstewards - and perhaps even more important, don't let yourself get duped into thinking you are buying from a reputable source.
Yes, it can be difficult to purchase a puppy from a reputable breeder in Switzerland, as demand well out paces supply. If you can't find a puppy in Switzerland, by all means go abroad...
but go yourself. Travel to the breeder, meet them and their dogs well in advance of a planned litter, just as you would here. Research the program, see for yourself how the pups are raised. And then import the puppy, at the appropriate age, yourself.
Keeping one step ahead of the Dark Side requires continuous effort. Eyes wide when purchasing a puppy or kitten. The same applies to adoption, eyes wide there as well.