Operation Falcon (USFWS operation)

Operation Falcon was a large-scale, multi-agency law enforcement effort coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) targeting the illegal trafficking of raptors, particularly falcons, in the United States and abroad. Conducted in 2005, the operation involved extensive undercover work, surveillance, and collaboration with state, local, and international wildlife agencies.

The primary goal of Operation Falcon was to dismantle criminal networks engaged in the poaching, smuggling, and sale of raptors, often for use in falconry or for sale on the black market to collectors. The investigation uncovered a complex web of individuals and groups involved in activities such as nest robbing, falsifying permits, and laundering illegally obtained birds.

Operation Falcon resulted in numerous arrests and convictions on charges including violations of the Lacey Act (which prohibits the interstate and international trafficking of illegally taken wildlife), the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and various state wildlife laws. Significant seizures of raptors, including peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, and Harris's hawks, were made. The operation also led to improvements in law enforcement strategies and increased awareness of the threats facing raptor populations.