News

Fur trader pleads guilty

9 July 2007 / Metropolitan Police

A man who traded in the furs of endangered species has today (9.7.07) pleaded guilty following an investigation by the Met's Wildlife Crime Unit.

Micheal Moosah, a 65 year old man from St John's Wood, who owns fur and fashion shop on Regent's Park Road, London NW1, admitted keeping fur coats made from the skins of tiger, leopard and Ocelot for sale at his shop.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit executed a Search Warrant at the premises in October 2006 and found the coats.

During the search of the shop, officers seized fur coats made from the skins of several endangered species. These were one tiger skin coat, one leopard skin coat and five coats made from the skins of Ocelots.

Officers from the Wildlife Crime Unit used the expertise of the Natural History Museum to identify the skins and confirm that they were genuine.

Tigers, leopards and ocelots are endangered species and commercial trade in them, or anything made from them, is banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an international agreement signed by 171 countries including the UK.

In the UK it is an offence under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 to keep an endangered species for sale.

Andy Fisher, the Head of the Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit, said:

"This case has shown once again that the illegal trade in endangered species is not just something that happens in Asia or Africa. Endangered species are on sale here on the streets of London and they will be for as long as we continue to buy them.

The people of London can support the work we and our partners are doing to protect the world's endangered species, by being sure the product they buy is legal. This can be done by checking www.ukcites.gov.uk for the list of endangered species, or to learn more about the issue as whole visit www.operationcharm.org”

"If anyone does have information about the trade in endangered species please report it to the police."

Micheal David Moosah (DoB: 31.1.41), of London NW8 appeared at City of Westminster MC after previously pleading guilty to three charges of keeping specimens of endangered species for sale.

He was fined a total of £900 and ordered to pay £47 costs.

The operation leading to the conviction was carried out under the banner of Operation Charm, a unique partnership between the Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit, the Greater London Authority, and four international wildlife organisations - WWF, the Active Conservation Awareness Programme, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Operation Charm uses a combination of law enforcement and education and awareness-raising initiatives in its work to stop the illegal trade in endangered species in London.

Since the original launch of Operation Charm in 1995, the Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit has seized over 30,000 items made from endangered species, all of which were on sale in London. These include traditional Chinese medicine products, fashion and clothing products, ivory and animal skins.