News

Endangered species laws get more bite

20 August 2009

At 11.30am today officers from the Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime and Chinatown Units searched a shop in Lisle Street, Westminster, and seized approximately 200 products believed to be made from endangered animals and plants including musk deer, leopard, tiger and Aucklandia, a species of plant from the aster family.

Today's operation is part of Operation Charm, the Met's ongoing partnership initiative against the illegal trade in endangered species in London. Since its launch in 1995 Operation Charm has been responsible for the seizure of more than 40,000 items made from endangered species in the capital. Many of these have been traditional Chinese medicine products, but other seizures have included shahtoosh shawls, elephant ivory and taxidermy.

The Search Warrant was issued under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997. These regulations make it illegal to sell, keep for sale, or buy any item that claims to be made from an endangered species.

Officers carried out the raid, coinciding with an amendment coming into effect that closes a loophole in the law, after seeing products suspected of containing ingredients derived from endangered species on display in the shop.

The regulations have been amended to deal with species, such as musk deer, that are so called "split-listed" and receiving different levels of protection depending on the population location. Previously, when it came to manufactured products, investigators were unable to determine where the specimen in the ingredients came from and therefore which part of the regulations applied. This burden has now been removed by making the assumption that the higher level of protection applies unless there is evidence to the contrary.

DC David Flint who led today's action said:

"Most Traditional Chinese Medicines are not made from endangered species and can be sold legally. However, a small number of products do contain these ingredients, and it is these products that have a disproportionate impact on wild populations by sustaining a demand.

To meet this demand poachers and traffickers will continue to profit from killing and supplying animals from other parts of the world and the future of some of our most endangered species will be at risk.

Operation Charm will continue to work with traders and professional bodies to end this illegal activity."

The shop manager, a 28-year-old man, was questioned about today's finds. Police enquiries are continuing.