News

Wildlife Crime Unit seize fur coats

3 November 2006 / Metorpolitan Police

The Wildlife Crime Unit and Camden Borough police have seized a number of fur coats believed to have been made from endangered species.

On Thursday 2/11/06, a search warrant was issued under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species at the premises of a fur dealer in North London.

A total of eight coats were seized including one believed to have been madefrom tiger fur.

Others are believed to have been made from leopard, snow leopard and other cat species, which are subject to trade controls under the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

DC David Flint, of the Wildlife Crime Unit, said:

"Products made from the world's most endangered species continue to be sold in London and it is this which drives the illegal international trade threatening the survival of these animals.

"The Metropolitan Police is committed to enforcing the laws protecting endangered species in London."

A man arrested in connection with the seizure and was subsequently bailed to return on a date in the future pending further enquiries.

The seizure forms part of Operation Charm, the Met's ongoing initiative against the illegal trade in endangered species in London. Operation Charm is the only ongoing police initiative against this trade in the UK and, since its launch in 1995, has led to the seizure of over 30,000 items made from endangered species.

CITES is an international agreement which has been signed by 169 countries. It bans commercial trade in the world's most endangered species and strictly controls trade in many others. Tigers and leopards are among the species banned from commercial trade.