 Operation Charm has seized 25,000 items |
London's black market in endangered animals is helping fund criminal networks across the world, say police. A one-day conference on the illegal trade and also the protection of the city's wildlife is being held at City Hall.
Since the Metropolitan Police set up Operation Charm to investigate the illegal trade in endangered species in 1995, it has confiscated 25,000 items.
"Criminal networks are being drawn into the smuggling and trading of endangered species," said Commander David Armond.
Products seized include traditional Chinese medicines containing ingredients from tigers and sea turtles.
Trade 'worth billions'
And one of the world's largest seizures of luxury shahtoosh shawls, made from the wool of the endangered Tibetan Antelope, was made at a shop in Mayfair in 1997.
The Met's wildlife unit also deals with issues such as badger baiting and the trade in bushmeat.
Speakers from the unit will be joined by others from the Greater London Authority to see how they improve joint operations.
Mr Armond said: "As species decline in numbers, so their value increases and the illegal trade in wildlife is worth several billion pounds every year.
"This provides scope for international organised crime and money laundering."
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