Crackdown on illegal wildlife products at the border
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-04)

Thousands of unlicensed and illegal wildlife products have been seized by Border Force as part of Operation Thunder.

Operation Thunder is an intensive international operation to target the criminal networks behind wildlife crime,

From 11 November to 6 December 2024, Border Force officers taking part in Operation Thunder 24 made 217 seizures of wildlife products which are controlled by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES).

Seizures included live plants, a range of beauty products containing caviar and cactus extracts, a quantity of bear bile, and clothes and accessories containing animal skins.

Live plants

Border Force officers also detected over 400 live birds as part of the operation, including rosella parakeets, king parrots, African grey parrots and blue-fronted Amazon parrots. Where possible, Border Force will rehome any live animals found.

Operation Thunder is a global effort to target the illegal wildlife trade and is co-led by Interpol and the World Customs Organisation (WCO).

Wildlife crime is estimated to be worth up to £17 billion globally per year and is the fourth largest international crime according to Interpol, behind only arms, drugs and human trafficking. Strengthening border security and breaking the criminal networks that seek to abuse our borders is a key part of the government’s plan for change.

Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra said:

Detecting and seizing illegal wildlife products is not just a matter of enforcement, but a vital act of preservation for this planet’s biodiversity.

The work of Border Force in interrupting this serious organised crime is critical to the UK’s efforts to regulate the international trade in endangered species.

Border Force Director for National Operations, Danny Hewitt said:

Wildlife crime is a serious organised crime which fuels corruption, threatens species with extinction, deprives some of the world’s poorest communities of sustainable livelihoods, and degrades ecosystems.

We take an intelligence-led approach to detecting illegal trade and work closely with our partners across the global community to share training, expertise and skills.

Minister for Nature, Mary Creagh said:

Tackling wildlife crime is essential to protecting iconic biodiversity at home and abroad. Criminal gangs must face justice for the part they play in nature destruction for self-gain.

These figures reflect the invaluable role of the Border Force in safeguarding wildlife, and are an example of international collaboration to combat global criminal networks.

Border Force works closely with other enforcement agencies, both nationally and internationally, to tackle the illegal wildlife trade and keep borders secure. This includes the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), London Heathrow Animal Reception Centre and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, amongst others.

This year’s Operation Thunder was also supported by the police, who executed 5 warrants in relation to bird egg smuggling. This has so far resulted in the confiscation of over 5,000 bird eggs.

Operation Thunder 24 led to seizures in the UK which included:
- over 400 live birds (51 CITES listed)
- 7kg of ivory
- 450 live plants
- 315kg of beauty products containing caviar
- over 2,500 pills and 21.5kg of powders containing endangered plant and animal species
- live corals
- snow leopard garments
Border Force is responsible for frontline detection and seizure of items covered by the CITES convention, which tackles the illegal trade in endangered animals and plants. The Heathrow-based Border Force CITES team are specialist officers who are recognised as world leaders in their field.

Border Force’s work to prevent the trade of unregulated and illegal products made from endangered species is helping the government in its safer streets mission by smashing organised crime.

Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to smuggling and trafficking of any kind can report it online using the report smuggling (https://www.gov.uk/report-smuggling) service.