Pangolin Scales. Credit: A. Roberts, NWCU
A Chinese medicine practitioner who admitted to being involved in the illegal trade of endangered wildlife has been sentenced at Northampton Crown Court.
Lei Zheng, of Holkham Walk in Corby, was charged with seven counts of selling or keeping endangered species for sale including Pangolin, Musk, Seahorses and four species of plants.
On Thursday, September 8, 2022, the 54-year-old pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months in prison – suspended for 21 months – and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work.
Rural Crime Team officers from Northamptonshire Police and the National Wildlife Crime Unit launched a joint investigation in July 2018, after Zheng was found to be selling illegal Musk products on the internet.
It soon became clear that Zheng was running a substantial online business which included the selling of Chinese medicines, which resulted in the execution of search warrants at several addresses.
During searches at his home and business premises, officers recovered medicines which contained species of plants and animals protected by international law, the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES), which had been imported illegally. Among the products recovered was distinctive scales from the Pangolin, which is widely described as being one of the most trafficked animals in the world and are now recognised as a globally endangered species.
PC Chloe Gillies of the Rural Crime Team, who led the investigation on behalf of the Force, said: “This is the largest investigation into the trade of endangered species conducted by Northamptonshire Police. I hope this case sends a message to others involved in this type of crime that we will thoroughly investigate and bring those who commit crimes against our wildlife to justice. I would like to thank the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the specialists involved for their assistance with this case.”
Alan Roberts from the National Wildlife Crime Unit said: “There is a lot of work being done globally to protect species threatened with extinction through human exploitation. It is shocking to find that someone who is on the surface a professional medical practitioner, willing to smuggle seriously endangered species to the UK for their own profit.”
Source: Northamptonshire Police
