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divdiv class=story-body readability=44 span class=story-date#13; span class=date15 November 2013/span#13; span class=time-textLast updated at /spanspan class=time11:42 ET/span#13; #13; /span#13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; p class=introduction id=story_continues_1Eight live big cats, tortoises, hippo teeth and a Rolls Royce upholstered with alligator skin were seized by UK border officials in a record year for endangered animal items./p#13; pMore of these items were confiscated in the year up to April 2013 than in any other year, the Home Office has said./p#13; pOne of the biggest shifts was the increasing use of these species in bodybuilding supplements and facial creams, a border official said./p#13; pMore than 690 seizures were made./p#13; pThat was up from 516 seizures the year before and included 3,890kg (8,570lbs) of medicine containing extracts of endangered species, 326 ivory items and 93 live animals./p#13; pWildlife groups said they feared the problem will only get worse./p#13; span class=cross-head'Preserved snake'/span#13; pThe items were confiscated under the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (Cites)./p#13; pGrant Miller, the senior officer on the Border Force Cites team, said: We have everything from rhino horn to ivory to the taxidermy items and marine species that we see being brought back into the UK, both in passengers' luggage - but more importantly, and in large quantities, through freight./p#13; #13; #13; #13; pOf the use of endangered species in health and beauty products, Mr Miller said: The market is evolving - there is more demand from a wider set of consumers./p#13; pFrom the traditional Chinese medicine products that we used to see we're now seeing new age beauty products, the health and fitness slimming pills, that are having endangered species within their ingredients./p#13; pPeople need to be aware of that./p#13; pWhile much of the trade is rising in Asian markets like China and Vietnam, the UK's position as a global logistics hub means Cites goods often come through its borders./p#13; span class=cross-head'Ruthless traffickers'/span#13; pThis year, 500kg (1,100lbs) of face cream containing caviar extract - the export of which is restricted - were discovered being imported from China, while 126,000 pots of Detonate and 15,120 of CRAZE - bodybuilding supplements containing the rare orchid Dendrobium - were seized en route from the US./p#13; pIn May, a Manchester man received six months in prison for trying to import 750kg (1650lbs) of live coral from Vietnam./p#13; pRachel Jones, of London Zoo, said: As the financial situation internationally picks up and people have more money in their pockets, the trade in animals - alive or dead - or in artefacts and curios is only going to increase./p#13; pImmigration minister Mark Harper said: Organised criminal gangs will smuggle anything if they think there is a profit to be made and animal products can be worth millions of pounds on the black market./p#13; pThe fact that this trade is contributing to the threat of extinction faced by many endangered species is of no interest to these ruthless traffickers./p#13; pOfficers are working tirelessly with partners in the National Crime Agency, the police and internationally to stamp out this illicit trade./p#13; /div/divbrbrcentera href=http://www.wizardrss.comPowered By WizardRSS.com/a | a href=http://www.wizardrss.comFull Text RSS Feed/a | a href=http://www.amazon.com/RFID-Blocking-Cards-Identity-Protector/dp/B00CJHZLEWRFID/a | a href=http://www.wpzonbuilder.comAmazon Affiliate/a/center