Police in 22 countries have rescued thousands of live reptiles including turtles and crocodiles that traffickers intended to kill for use in fashion accessories, Europol said on Monday.

Europe's police agency said the arrests for illegal trafficking in live animals capped a month-long global sting dubbed Operation Blizzard that targeted smugglers, commercial cargo and pet shops.

"Wildlife trafficking has increased significantly in recent years to the point where we have now thousands of reptiles worth millions of euros being seized every year," said Pedro Felício, head of economic and property crime at Europol, which helped coordinate the operation.

Handbags, wallets, watch straps, medicines and other products derived from the animals were also seized.

Reuters