A number of smugglers face prosecution in New Zealand after an international crackdown on wildlife crime.
Photo: 123RF
The Department of Conservation seized 53 illegally imported wildlife products, including giraffe bones, canned whale meat and a monkey skull.
Operation Thunder involved over 100 countries and ran for four weeks till mid-October, and was organised by Interpol and the World Customs Organisation.
DOC principal compliance officer Dylan Swain, also chairperson of the Interpol Wildlife Crime Working Group, says DOC works closely with other agencies overseas to identify and take action against importers and exporters of illegal wildlife products.
"Wildlife crime is the fourth largest illegal trade in the world, and by participating in operations such as this we can help protect not only our own species, but also those animals and plants endangered by illegal trade internationally."
DOC focused on items coming through mail, freight and cargo, and issued seven infringement notices for fines between $600 and $800. It is also pursuing prosecution against a small number of smugglers of wildlife products.
Its endangered species officer Jan McKeown coordinated New Zealand's involvement in the operation.
"Even with the New Zealand border restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are still experiencing a continuous illegal influx of unpermitted protected wildlife," she said.
"The ability to purchase internationally online is not a guarantee your purchase can be legally imported into New Zealand - please do your background research before pushing the 'buy now' button."
Globally more than 45,000 live animals and plants were seized in the operation with 699 offenders apprehended.
International seizures included 187 raw elephant tusks in Cameroon; an adult female white tiger, a jaguar and a four-month-old lion cub rescued from smugglers in Mexico; and an 18-tonne shipment of red sandalwood seized in India.
