“A haul of taxidermy animals including a tiger’s head, monkey skulls, reptiles, and stuffed birds of prey have been seized from a house in Devon.
The operation follows the seizure by Border Force of a chameleon preserved in formaldehyde at the Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre postal hub on 17 April.
The reptile, which had been shipped from the United States, was found to be a controlled species, meaning strict controls are in place to prevent illegal trade.
It led officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA), supported by specialist officers from Border Force, to a residential address and business premises in Newton Abbot yesterday morning.
A 40-year-old man was arrested.
[Border Force has a well established and highly regarded specialist CITES Team based at Heathrow who provide advice on import and export procedures and deal with any illegal CITES goods. They work closely with the NCA, National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) and police, and provide expert advice on border operational issues.]”Source: Western Morning News
To read the full article, click here
