New police campaign targets illegal Chinese medicines

Metropolitan Police has launched a new campaign against the illegal trade of items made from endangered species. Operation Charm, as the campaign was named, especially targets Chinese medicine shops in London that are selling the products made from tiger bone, rhino horn and bear bile.

The demand for the medicines is growing but it also means extermination of these animal populations. These endangered animals need to be protected and that is the Metropolitan Police’s main goal.
Operation Charm has announced its new website, is encouraging people to refrain from buying these illegal medicines and businesses to display stickers supporting the campaign.

The campaign is also supported by the Federation of Traditional Chinese Medicine and The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine who condemn the illegal actions against endangered species and are hoping that the campaign would put an end to it.

There have already been a few raids conducted by the Metropolitan Police in London. In the raids, fur coats made from tiger, leopard and snow leopard skins were found.

Head of the Metropolitan Police's wildlife crime unit, Andy Fisher, reported that they will simply not allow decline of endangered species because of illegal acts taking place in London.