5,000 bird eggs — including some from exotic species — seized in England, police say

About 5,000 bird eggs — including some from exotic species — were recently seized by police in the United Kingdom.

The colossal clutch was discovered in November when police executed a warrant at a property in Gloucestershire, about 100 miles west of London.

Photos taken at the scene show eggs of various colors and sizes neatly placed in wooden drawers and categorized by species.

Among the species listed were South American terns and black-headed ducks — both of which are native to South America, according to iNaturalist, a citizen scientist platform.

Glaucous-winged gulls, which are found along the West Coast of the United States, were also listed.

In the U.K., it is illegal to take, possess or trade eggs from wild birds, which are protected by various laws, the Gloucestershire Constabulary stated in a Jan. 3 press release.

“No arrests have been made but investigations are continuing,” authorities said.

The seizure was part of a long-running police investigation focused on cracking down on the global wildlife black market, which often involves organized crime and vast sums of money.

“Intelligence suggests this is a single, international crime network,” which is operating on an unprecedented scale in the U.K., according to The Guardian.

Since the investigation began in June 2023, 16 individuals have been arrested and more than 50,000 eggs have been recovered by police.

“While our officers will rightly always focus on crimes involving drugs, violence and sexual assault, there is still a need to protect our wildlife,” Police Constable Cath McDay said in the release.

“As the overall number of birds is declining it can be argued that this crime has an even greater impact now than it did years ago,” Detective Inspector Mark Harrison added. “These criminals are very well organized and connected. The rarer a species is, the higher its demand and value to these criminals.”

This story was originally published January 3, 2025 at 4:23 PM with the headline "5,000 bird eggs — including some from exotic species — seized in England, police say."