Arowana seized in London raid

"I very much doubt that the seized fish will be culled, particularly if CITES believes that they may be wild fish without microchips, which is what one would assume. With CITES corals and seahorses the seized livestock is normally taken to specialist zoos and aquaria to house it. "

"Since we reported the BBC's story on the seizure of these arowana we have received a number of comments, including one apparently from the importer involved. He wrote:

"I just want to set the record straight about an article that was published on the PFK site on the 29/10 about some Asian arowanas that were apparently seized from a property in East London. I am the person involved and can tell you the following.

1. Not a single fish was seized at all.

2. The 11 arowanas in question were 6" tiddlers, not 18" subadults.

3. These aros were legally imported through CITES.

4. The Wildlife Crime Unit accept they were legally imported with papers but were not happy about the absence of Article 10 papers.

5. It's my contention that the fish are legally imported, each fish inserted with a microchip which can be scanned.

6. I have been legally importing aros for the past 4 years- where I appear to have erred is not applying for the Article 10 paper.

7. None of the fish are worth £2000, most of them are fish worth £350.

I do realise that the source of the report is the BBC and you are reporting as it appears in print but it is equally important for me to set the record straight, as such a report can do a lot of untold damage to my reputation as I am quite well known in the Asian arowana hobby.

Officers from the Met's Wildlife Crime Unit have this morning, 29th October 2007, seized a shipment of a live endangered species at an address in east London. Working with Redbridge Borough Police, HMRC and the National Wildlife Crime Unit, an address in Barkingside was searched and eleven live Arowana fish were seized. The fish are worth up to £2,000 each and are much sought-after for aquariums and by keepers of exotic fish. In parts of the Far East the fish are considered to bring good fortune.

The raid, which took place at the home address of a dealer who specializes in selling exotic species for fish collectors, followed the receipt of information that they had been imported from Singapore by air. The fish seized are about 18 inches long, but can grow considerably larger depending on the exact Arowana species.

Andy Fisher, head of the Met's Wildlife Crime Unit, said: "Today's seizure is part of Operation Charm and highlights that the trade in endangered species happens here in London and is international in its nature. The recovery of live animals is extremely rare, but the law applies in the same way to endangered species in any form. While dealers are at the forefront of ensuring that the trade in these types of animals does not take place, a great responsibility also rests with the public. It is illegal to buy as well as to sell an endangered species. The public needs to be aware of all types of endangered species and report any information on illegal trade to the police." The man remains in custody at an east London police station.

"Ruth Shulver of the Specialist Crime Press Desk at New Scotland Yard has contacted me to clarify on some of the points I raised regarding the Operation Charm press release the Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit issued.

Shulver told Practical Fishkeeping: "The man arrested on 29.10.07 in Barkingside on suspicion of keeping an endangered species for the purpose of selling has been bailed to return to an East London Police Station on a date in early February pending further enquiries.

"This means he has been released whilst the investigation continues and when he returns on bail he may be re-interviewed, charged, re-bailed or released with no further action depending on the outcome of the investigation at that stage.

"Our original press release did originally state the fish were 18 inches. This is a mistake and the fish seized are in fact approximately 18 cm long.

"The exact cost of the fish forms part of the investigation. This type of fish can cost up to £2,000 but may also be sold at a lower price."

Shulver said that the case was the first it had investigated for many years involving the importation of arowana.

When asked whether the fish were imported legally and whether paperwork or microchip identification tags were present, Shulver told Practical Fishkeeping that that formed part of the investigation."