Denbighshire man caught with £7,000 in rare bird feathers
A 68-year-old Denbighshire man has been sentenced for offences linked to the illegal trade of a protected bird species.
David Pugh, of Primrose Hill, St George, appeared before Llandudno Magistrates Court on Wednesday 6 August, where he pleaded guilty to three offences under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulations 2018 (COTES).
In January, Border Force officers at Birmingham Airport intercepted two parcels addressed to North Wales. The packages contained 60 grey jungle fowl capes without the required import permits.
The endangered birds are valued for their feathers, which are used in fly fishing, and are protected under COTES.
Following an investigation by North Wales Police Rural Crime Team and the National Wildlife Crime Unit, Pugh was arrested. Officers searching his home found further capes worth almost £7,000.
The court ordered Pugh to pay fines and costs totalling £1,165. A forfeiture and destruction order was made for all seized items.
Sergeant Peter Evans of the North Wales Police Rural Crime Team said: “COTES was set up to protect endangered species and ensures this type of criminality does not threaten the survival of vulnerable wildlife, or fuel global trafficking networks. We are determined to bring perpetrators like Pugh to justice, who exploit endangered species for their own financial gain. This investigation would not have been possible without the support from the National Wildlife Crime Unit, who played a vital part in Pugh’s sentencing.”
Kevin Lacks-Kelly, Head of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, said: “Illegal wildlife trade is alive and kicking in the UK. This case is a clear example of how people will exploit protected species for financial gain.”
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