WWF UK has reported that officers from the Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime and Chinatown Units has seized 200 products made from endangered animals and plants. A raid, part of Operation Charm, at the Traditional Asian Medicine Shop in Westminster uncovered products that appear to contain ingredients of leopard, tiger and the endangered Aucklandia plant.
Operation Charm was first launched in 1995 and is the Metropolitan Police’s initiative against the illegal trade in endangered species in London. In the last 14 years over 40,000 items have been seized in London, ranging from traditional Chinese medicine products, to elephant ivory and taxidermy.
Leader of the raid, DC David Flint, 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.
A loop hole has been found by traders, but since ammended, that some endangered species are covered by different parts of the regulations in different countries, therefore receive different levels of protection. As it is sometimes difficult to determine the country of origin of the illegal ingredients, this makes it easier for traders to avoid prosecution. However, the latest ammendment now means any ‘split level’ seizures will be procesuted under the higher protection level unless there is evidence to the contrary.
WWF Species Trade Officer, Heather Sohl, said –
With our partners WWF sought to close this loophole so we are thrilled with this seizure. The fact the amendment has been used on its first day in effect shows how necessary it is to have effective laws and tools in place to bring unscrupulous traders to justice.
