A worker holds a green turtle (Chelonia mydas) after unloading it from a truck in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. Police said they foiled an attempt to smuggle 71 green turtles for food. The turtles, caught in the waters off Sulawesi Island, have an average weight of 100 kilograms (220 pounds). REUTERS/Murdani Usman

The illegal wildlife trade is one of the largest criminal enterprises on the planet.

In fact, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ranks wildlife trafficking alongside the drug trade, arms dealing, and human trafficking in terms of illicit profits, which are estimated to be between $8 and $10 billion a year.

Animals are sold as pets, consumed as delicacies, and used to create traditional medicines all around the globe.

Trafficking serves as one of the biggest sources of funding for organized crime.

Scroll through these photos for an inside look at animals that have been rescued.