Endangered Wildlife Traders To Face Tougher Sentences

[peter hayes]

This story appeared on the Press Association wires earlier today.

ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRADERS TO FACE TOUGHER SENTENCES
By Vivienne Morgan and Trevor Mason, Political Staff, PA News
Penalties for those trading in endangered species are to be raised,
the
Government indicated today.<
Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael signalled the move in debate on a
backbench Bill to increase the maximum jail sentence for those caught
trading in
endangered species from two to five years.<
The Bill's sponsor Tory Hugh Robertson (Faversham and Mid Kent)
withdrew his
Endangered Species (Illegal Trade) Bill after Mr Michael assured him
the
Government was likely to act.<
Mr Michael said ministers accepted that increasing the penalties was
justified
but were consulting on the issue at the moment.<
``It would be premature to support the Bill while public consultation
is still
proceeding,'' he said.<
``However, we will return to the matter in the later stages of the
Criminal
Justice Bill when I hope we will be able to put in place exactly those
measures
you sought today.''<
Mr Robertson said paltry fines and low sentences were making the UK a
major
centre for illegal trafficking in endangered species - with trading
worth in
excess of #5 billion a year, the second most important criminal
activity
worldwide after drugs.<
``A recent police raid in the UK seized tiger cubs who had been killed
under a
fortnight old, before their eyes had even opened and they had been
stuffed and
mounted on a branch,'' he told MPs.<
``They have also found gorilla skulls, leopards, sparrow hawks, snowy
owls,
turtles, tortoises, parrots and a host of other primates.''<
The World Wildlife Fund had recently estimated at least 20% of the
world's
species could be extinct in the next 30 years.<
``Illegal trading in animal products, or the animals themselves, is a
major
contributor to this,'' Mr Robertson said.<
``I very much regret to say the UK is a major centre for this trade,
acting as
both a transit route and indeed as a final destination.<
``There are clear and proven links with organised crime with
endangered
species being traded along exactly the same smuggling lines as drugs
and
guns.''<
UK customs seized an average of 570 illegal wildlife items each day,
but only
51 cases had been prosecuted in 14 years. <
``It is little short of a total disgrace,'' the MP protested.<
end

[T0ny]

Five years ? And they'll only serve 2/3 of that, probably in a low-security prison as they are not 'a danger to the public' - assuming Grope Floor manage to get them there in the first place. Makes me sick.

Tony

[Andrew]

Not long enough!

In Kenya many species of birds are threatened because of previous illegal trade. Thankfully government sponsored regulation of the forests and reserves are fixing this problem.

[davebroadley]

I hope the jail terms become law, with, I hope unlimited fines, but I doubt it will happen, being the cynic that I am.
I have just been reading about the egg collector found with clutches of W/T Eagle's eggs , got 6 month's ?, reduced to 5 months on appeal.

[peter hayes]

Amazing isn't it T0ny/Andrew/Dave? Judges and magistrates don't seem to take this seriously.

[Andrew]

Fishermen have the same problem, huge multinational corporations pollute rivers and streams killing all life in the water. Not just fish. And they get away with paltry £2-3000 fines!