News item | 07-12-2022 | 15:51
In October of this year, the NVWA, the police and Customs collected 5 kilos of meat from the large conch, more than 4 kilos of meat from Pecaris (umbilical pig), 30 live animals such as parrots, songbirds, snakes, a tarantula and turtles, plasters containing as an ingredient seahorses, ivory statues, crocodile skin watch straps, tea and coffee containing protected plants and dozens of other products from protected plants and animals were seized. The Dutch effort is part of the annual international operation Thunder, which focuses on tackling wildlife crime. More than 100 countries worldwide participate operation Thundercoordinated by Interpol.
Alert upon purchase
This year’s Dutch participation in Operation Thunder shows that many consumers are unaware that they possess illegal products. They have not delved into rules about buying and taking protected animals or plants or products thereof. In addition, consumers often do not know that they have products from animals or plants that are protected. “Therefore, always be careful when you bring animal or vegetable products from abroad or order them online,” says Jamie Bouhuys of the NVWA. “The fact that a certain product is for sale in the country of origin does not mean that it has been obtained in a legal way and that it can be taken or imported just like that. It is often also very difficult to see from a product that protected animals or plants have been used.” People thus become, often unintentionally, part of the illegal trade in animals and plants. on the NVWA website contains information about this.
Risks and approach to wildlife crime
The illegal trade in protected plant and animal species or their products poses a serious threat to global biodiversity. Animals and plants are illegally caught or plucked from the wild and smuggled alive, dead or made into products to countries around the world. Moreover, animal welfare is at stake and there is a risk of the import of plant and animal diseases. For example, birds caught illegally from the wild can carry bird flu. Also, illegally importing meat from wild-caught animals can pose significant risks to food safety and public health.
Which animals and plants are internationally protected and under which conditions they may be traded is laid down in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). In addition, additional national protection rules may also apply. In addition to the legal trade, there is also a large illegal market. Internationally, this form of crime involves a lot of money. Wildlife crime is often accompanied by fraud, corruption, threats and violence.
The NVWA, Police and Customs are working on tackling wildlife crime in close collaboration with the Functional Office of the Public Prosecution Service, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. These organizations jointly fight wildlife crime all year round. Violations are dealt with through administrative law or criminal law.