01/22/2026
The 1993 Gorilla Sting Operation: A Wild Tale of Monkey Business
In 1993, U.S. agents pulled off an undercover operation that sounds like something straight out of a movie. The target? A Mexican zoo looking to illegally acquire a gorilla, but the agents had a trick up their sleeve that no one could have predicted.
It all began when officials from the zoo approached a Miami primate dealer, hoping to purchase a gorilla. However, U.S. Fish & Wildlife agents, always on the lookout for wildlife trafficking, caught wind of the deal. Instead of simply stopping the transaction, they decided to go full undercover.
The agents set up a sting operation worthy of a Hollywood script. Posing as traffickers, they showed the would-be buyers real apes from Florida zoos to build trust and interest. Then came the grand setup: a fake sale of a gorilla for the hefty price tag of $92,500. Everything was in place.
When the buyers arrived at Opa-Locka Airport in Florida, expecting to take possession of the gorilla, they were met with a shocking sight. Inside the cage, instead of an actual gorilla, was an undercover agent—dressed head to toe in a gorilla suit. 🦍
The buyers took delivery, only to be immediately arrested under U.S. endangered-species laws. The operation was a success, and the criminals were caught red-handed, all thanks to an elaborate ruse involving a human in a gorilla costume.
This stunt remains a perfect example of how crime can meet monkey business in the most unexpected ways. A wildlife trafficking operation that saw one of the most bizarre arrests in history—proving that when it comes to stopping illegal animal trade, even the most outrageous tactics can sometimes be the best approach.