Royal barber fined £10,000 for dealing in ivory brushesA royal barber was fined £10,000 yesterday for dealing in illegal ivory goods.Shaving brushes were among ivory items found during searches of the Mayfair shop and other premises of George F Trumper, which has served members of the royal court for 125 years, receiving the royal warrant of Queen Victoria and five subsequent monarchs.Warrants are granted to companies which have regularly supplied goods or services for a minimum of five consecutive years to the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh or the Prince of Wales.Geo F Trumper, as the firm is known, also counts leading Government figures and celebrities among its clients.A total of 24 ivory items were seized during searches of the firm's two shops - in Curzon Street, Mayfair, and Jermyn Street, St James's - and at its head office in Upper Holloway, north London, in November 2004.Most were shaving brushes stamped with the words "real ivory" and were on sale for prices of up to £1,100 each. Others included hairbrushes, glove stretchers and even an elephant tusk.At City of Westminster Magistrates Court yesterday, the company pleaded guilty to two charges of keeping endangered species for sale contrary to Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997.It was fined £5,000 on each count and the ivory was confiscated.The operation was led by Scotland Yard's Wildlife Crime Unit with the assistance of Gloucestershire Police and Avon and Somerset Police.In addition to the three business premises searched in London, further addresses were visited in Gloucestershire and one in Somerset. Andy Fisher, head of the Wildlife Crime Unit, said: "The illegal trade in endangered species is one of the major threats faced by wildlife in the world today."It also damages local communities in other countries and helps to fund criminal networks."It is disappointing that this trade continues in the UK because as long as it does, more endangered wildlife will be killed and the criminals will continue to prosper."The Metropolitan Police, working closely with our partners in the UK and abroad, is committed to stopping this trade in London."Raul Matamoros, from the International Fund for Animal Welfare, added: "It is unacceptable that despite an international ivory trade ban, an estimated 10,000 elephants are still dying each year for their tusks, some of which may be sold as carvings or trinkets in London shops and markets."Consumer demand drives this bloody trade and we urge people to remember that every piece of ivory represents a dead elephant."A spokesman for George F Trumper said the company had no comment to make.It was established in 1875 in Curzon Street by George Trumper, and has served the needs of "London gentlemen and members of the Royal Court" for more than 125 years. Its products are sold around the world.Its website says the business is recognised as "the finest traditional gentlemen's barber in London".The illegal trade in endangered species is worth more than £5billion a year.In London, the Metropolitan force has seized more than 30,000 items made from endangered species since the launch of Operation Charm - its drive against the trade.
Excelente trabalho da policia Inglesa, mas a multa imposta pela justica e ridicula na minha opiniao.
Se calhar alguns de vocês têm pinceis destes...
Em marfim? Po'xim...
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Topic: Geo F Trumpers multada por comercializar marfim ilegal (Read 2509 times)