Giraffe bones, canned whale meat among seized items

WELLINGTON: A number of smugglers face prosecution in New Zealand after an international crackdown on wildlife crime.

The Department of Conservation has seized 53 illegally imported wildlife products, including giraffe bones, canned whale meat and a monkey skull.

Operation Thunder involved more than 100 countries and ran for four weeks, ending midOctober, and was organised by Interpol and the World Customs Organisation.

Doc principal compliance officer Dylan Swain, who is also the Interpol wildlife crime working group’s chairman, said Doc worked closely with overseas agencies to identify and take action against importers and exporters of illegal wildlife products.

‘‘Wildlife crime is the fourthlargest illegal trade in the world, and by participating in operations such as this we can help protect not only our own species, but also those animals and plants endangered by illegal trade internationally.’’

Doc focused on items coming through mail, freight and cargo, and issued seven infringement notices for fines of between $600 and $800. It was also pursuing prosecution against a small number of smugglers of wildlife products.

Its endangered species officer, Jan McKeown, coordinated New Zealand’s involvement in the operation.

‘‘Even with the New Zealand border restrictions due to the Covid19 pandemic, we are still experiencing a continuous illegal influx of unpermitted protected wildlife,’’ she said.

‘‘The ability to purchase internationally online is not a guarantee your purchase can be legally imported into New Zealand — please do your background research before pushing the ‘buy now’ button.’’

Globally, more than 45,000 live animals and plants were seized in the operation and 699 offenders apprehended. — RNZ