CLEVELAND -- The law protects endangered species, yet poachers in northeast Ohio and across the state have taken rare snakes and turtles to sell for profit.

NewsChannel5's Angie Lau reported that a major undercover operation clamped down on the illegal trade as many poachers were caught in their own web of deceit.

On Saturday, Ohio wildlife officers recovered hundreds of rare and endangered species of turtles and snakes that were taken from the wild and sold illegally. It was the result of an extensive undercover operation years in the making.

"Officers in undercover capacity posed as vendors, dealers, buyers," said Jim Quinlivan, of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Wildlife.

More than 50 people were arrested. They currently face more than 120 state and federal charges, but there could be more charges filed.

Ohio wildlife officers uncovered just the tip of the iceberg Saturday. Their investigation put a serious dent in the illegal trade of wild caught reptiles and amphibians across the country, NewsChannel5 reported.

"To extricate species from areas for pure greed -- all profit-motivated -- (is a) true injustice," said Jay Reda, of the Division of Wildlife. "They're going to look for places where snakes sun themselves and then quickly go undercover."

Some of the snakes fetch $1,000 a piece, and the turtles -- many of which are endangered -- go for hundreds of dollars each. But the animals' disappearance from the wild can upset the delicate ecosystem, something officers hope to reverse.

"What we've seized will be put back in the wild in their (rightful) habitat. There's a niche those reptiles fill," Reda said.

Many of the suspects arrested in the trafficking of endangered species face serious felony charges; some may face thousands of dollars in fines and jail time.

"Operation Endangered and Threatened" continues to draw in suspects, not only in Ohio but also across the country.

To turn in a poacher, call the Division of Wildlife's tip line at (800) POACHER.