A sum of $1,418 (£1,000) has to be paid by the 60 year-old Janet Winstanley, who pleaded guilty on January 22 to offences relating to the illegal export of ivory.
The Met Police Wildlife Crime Unit has found and seized from Ms. Winstanely's home more than 100 items, believed to be made of elephant ivory. The law enforcement officers initially got suspicious when a trader identified as Winstanley was found offering ivory for sale online via eBay. She described the items on sale as carved 'bovine bone.'
However a closer inspection of the images revealed 'schreger lines' which are unique to elephant ivory.
Social media users reacted angrily to the size of the financial punishment for Ms. Winstanley and the news elephant ivory items were being traded online.
She should have been put away £1000fine is nothing to people like that she'll be online again next week under a new name. Not much justice for the elephants.
— janice gregory (@catwomanjanice) January 24, 2018
hope it was a bloody huge amount! and not a slap on the wrist,enough to deter her from doing it again!
— HotDiggityDog Photog (@PaulSmyth1963) January 24, 2018
— Sir (@stephen2421) January 24, 2018
Jail! Should know better
— Jan Graveson "JAANI" (@Sing_Thing) January 24, 2018
i'd like to see the law get tougher on people dealing in ivory, they are aiding and abetting the poachers crimes and should suffer much tougher penalties as without their custom the poachers would not have any reason to kill elephants for their ivory.
— Rob / Obi Calm (@as44759928) January 24, 2018
"The trade in antique ivory, within the EU is currently legal, however any re-export of ivory outside the EU requires a re-export permit, issued by the Animal and Plant Health Agency. Any trade outside of the legal framework is a serious cause for concern since it may contribute to driving the demand for ivory in the Far East which in turn may add to the decline of elephant populations in those source countries," DC Sarah Bailey, from the Met's Wildlife Crime Unit, said in an official statement.
The Met Police have also issued a video statement, addressing the issue of poaching and illegal trade of products made from endangered species.
Our Wildlife Crime Unit help stop illegal trade of products made from endangered species — find out more about them in this short video pic.twitter.com/V2IkrC0aVw
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 24, 2018
The UK environment secretary Michael Gove is currently under public pressure to introduce a blanket ban on the commercial trade in ivory in Britain.
The UK government is expected to soon reveal the results of the consultation running from October 2017 on the ban form and its effects.
