The confiscated contraband

Horn rhinos, turtles and predatory cats, rare butterflies and boxes of illegal drugs - all these and more have tried to bring to the UK illegally ... In the period from April 2012 to 2013, British customs confiscated more illegal items than in any other year. So let us go into "bins" to look at the variety of items that unlucky smugglers were trying to smuggle in the British territory.





1. All of the items were confiscated by customs officials under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, located on the verge of extinction (CITES). During the period of 2012/2013 years. 690 items were seized that 509 items more than in the previous year. Including: 3890 kg of drugs with extracts of rare species of plants, 326 ivories and 93 living animals.



2. Customs warehouse with a supported climate-controlled shelves literally crammed with confiscated items that are waiting for verification experts CITES. Sometimes ivory color black to give them for the wooden object.



3. One expert bitterly says: "I have nothing surprises».



4. Over the past two years, the volume of import of illegal ivory items to the United Kingdom increased almost 25 times.



5. Last year, 80, 7 kg of elephant tusks were seized at the border at Heathrow. On the black market they are worth tens of thousands. For comparison, in 2010 it was confiscated by only 3, 3 kg. Rather, it is only a small percentage of the total volume of illegally exported from Africa tusks, used to make decorations for Chinese buyers, who want to show off their wealth.



6. Nearly four tonnes of drugs were found drugs that contain extracts of rare species of plants and animals - from crushed rhino horns to rare orchids.



7. The smugglers carry even live animals - this month at Heathrow was confiscated 466 rare turtles Balkans.



8. Among other exotic animals rescued during the year, - Geoffroy's Cat, two king vulture and Taira - animal from the weasel family from South America.



9. In September, the British Foreign Secretary warned that revenue from illegal trade in objects and animals is 19 billion dollars around the world, and "tools of this trade are to maintain criminal gangs and terrorism." Although international trade in ivory was banned in 1989, customs officers continue to confiscate items from this material every year.



10. In total last year, British customs officials were seized more than 2, 5 million illegal items. They cost tens of millions of dollars.



11. One of the confiscated "items" were stuffed lovebird Fischer, who was sitting on the grenade (pictured right). Worth this "masterpiece" 8000 pounds. Senior customs Grant Miller said that the surge in demand for rare species of animals and plants is not caused by demand on the British side, and growing wealth in China and the Far East.



12. "The demand is driven by human greed, in particular, consumer demand in China and the Far East. People had money, they are willing to spend, and ivory and rhino horn is a symbol of high status, which can boast of ».



13. This may also be to blame, and the economic growth of Chinese entrepreneurs in Africa, because they had direct access to the ivory.



14. In general, seized small parcels sent by courier from Africa to Asia. They weighed less than 15 kg, but the destination never reached - at Heathrow seized their legal representatives.



15. "The Chinese workers in Africa regularly buy such items in order to sell them for big money at home».



16. The volume of illegal trade in ivory are growing all over the world - only in 2011 were illegally killed 17,000 elephants. Criminals attempt to smuggle anything that could be valuable on the black market.



17. The fact that these actions could lead to the extinction of rare species, none of them do not care.



18. British customs officers are known for their ability to find the illegal items. "Our customs officers work tirelessly and constantly cooperate with the police, the National Criminal Agency and international authorities to halt the growth of illegal trade," - says Grant Miller.



19. Of particular surge in demand is observed in the field of fitness and beauty.



Previously rare species only used in traditional medicine, but now they are increasingly being used as additives in various creams and steroids. Unfortunately, the black market is evolving.



20. There are all new products and products for skin care, face, hair, etc., which are used for the production of rare plant and animal species. Although China and Vietnam occupy a leading position until the buyer on the black market, major cities such as London are at the center of such scandals as it is in their airports detain smugglers.



21. This year, it was discovered 500 kg of cream for the face, which included a banned ingredients. Cream across Britain tried to smuggle from China



22. In May, a resident of Manchester got six months in prison for having tried to bring in 750 kilograms of corals from Vietnam. There was also the case when customs officers confiscated 2, 3 tons of Indian sandalwood, which is trying to move to Hong Kong.

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Source: bigpicture.ru

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