A month-long crackdown during May 2018, codenamed ‘Operation Thunderstorm’, tackled the illegal trade in flora and fauna, involved 92 countries and was a concerted strike against wildlife traffickers and their £17billion-a-year illicit enterprises. Around the world suspects were arrested and seizures of animals, ivory and bushmeat were made.

Border Force officers made 276 seizures containing tens of thousands of products banned under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) at UK ports and airports. This included nearly 7 kilograms of illegal ivory and 120 live orchid plants.

UK-funding has continued to support the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), the organisation behind the coordination of ‘Operation Thunderstorm’. In November 2017, Britain pledged £4 million of funding over the next four years to fund ICCWC international programmes helping to stop the illegal wildlife trade.

Environment Secretary, Michael Gove said:

I welcome this coordinated international action. Border Force is helping the UK to show global leadership in combatting the illegal wildlife trade. We must work with our partners in the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime’s ‘Operation Thunderstorm’ as wildlife crime does not respect borders.

We are introducing one of the world’s toughest bans on ivory sales. Later this year we will host the next international Illegal Wildlife Trade conference in London.

Source: Defra