Image copyright: Met Police

A man who purchased a haul of endangered animal parts, including chimpanzee skulls, lion claws, and a cheetah skin, has been handed a suspended prison sentence for his part in the illegal trade of endangered wildlife.

Peter Prineas, 52, of Orpington, south east London, admitted to buying illegal animal parts, some of which may have been poached from the wild, from online auctions and private sellers.

Officers also uncovered numerous other primate skulls, a brown bear claw, and great white shark teeth – all protected under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (COTES).

All of the items Prineas purchased were kept in an upstairs study, except for the skull of a chimpanzee, which Prineas had kept in the garage as it still “smelled from having been recently killed and prepared”, Metropolitan Police said.

Evidence showed Prineas had also attempted to purchase a gorilla’s skull to add to his collection.

A warrant to search his home was issued after the WCU investigated the sale of a cheetah skin which Prineas bought from an online auction site from a seller in Wales.

He was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for each count, to run concurrently, suspended for 18 months.

Source: International Business Times

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