UK Border Force has uncovered cars stuffed with endangered animals amid a massive global crackdown on wildlife smuggling gangs. In just one month, officers seized over 250 protected species and illegal wildlife products at airports, ports, and mail depots nationwide.
Shocking Finds at UK Borders
- Two rainbow boa constrictors hidden under blankets in a Dover car. The driver had bought them licence-free at a German reptile show.
- More than 100 endangered birds found crammed into a vehicle, including scarlet ibis, green-cheeked conures, and lovebirds. Some birds were dead, others kept in filthy conditions risking disease spread.
- A car intercepted carrying over 2,000 live tarantulas from Europe, valued at around £70,000. This haul included more than 300 protected species without proper licences.
Adult tarantulas sell for between £50 and £500 each, making spider trafficking a booming black market trade since early 2023.
Exotic Wildlife Items Seized to Protect Global Species
Border Force also stopped illegal products like an elephant hair ring from the US, king cobra balm from Thailand, and a blacktip shark jaw from Australia. All items are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
Wildlife Crime: A £17 Billion Global Menace
Wildlife trafficking ranks as the fourth largest international crime, behind firearms, drugs, and human trafficking. It accounts for an astonishing £17 billion a year worldwide, threatening biodiversity and pushing many species closer to extinction.
