UK Border Force has seized thousands of illegal wildlife products, including crocodile blood, rhino horns and big cat body parts. The seizure, which took place in October, also included clothes and accessories made from turtle shell, ivory and snakeskin. In addition, more than 50 live birds were discovered. The haul was part of a global operation, which involved more than 500 arrests across 133 countries. During the operation, products containing cactus, orchid and caviar were found, as were 300kg of ivory, turtle eggs, and 30 tonnes of plants. Primates, birds and marine species were also uncovered.
It is unknown how many of the arrests happened in the UK. According to Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery, Tom Pursglove, the illegal wildlife trade is a major issue, threatening species with extinction while fueling corruption and depriving the poorest communities of sustainable livelihoods. The Home Office was asked about the number of UK arrests but has yet to respond. Pursglove also noted that the border force is “a leading global role in eradicating this damaging illegal trade”.
The Home Office did not release information on what will happen with the seized goods. It is unclear if they will be destroyed or auctioned off. The home office did say that it wants to help protect the overall decline of nature and meet the government’s target of protecting 30% of nature by 2030, as agreed internationally at a UN summit. The seizure comes a month after an MP’s bill, supported by ministers, to ban the import of hunting trophies into the UK struggled to get through the House of Lords, where it faced opposition and ran out of time due to concerns that the legislation could affect tourism in Africa.
According to Interpol, the international police organisation, wildlife crime is worth up to £17bn or $22.8bn a year globally, making it the fourth largest international crime. The Born Free charity, which campaigns to end the wildlife trade, said trafficking was closely tied to corruption, fraud and money laundering. Dr Mark Jones, the organisation’s head of policy, said: “With so much of the world’s wildlife in crisis, it’s vital that our enforcement agencies are properly resourced to enable this essential and highly specialised work to continue.
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