A seafood trader has been found guilty of smuggling around 5.3 million critically endangered European eels from Europe to Asia over a two-year period.
Inspectors from Cefas' Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) played a crucial role in the prosecution of Gilbert Khoo who was sentenced to 24 months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, at Southwark Crown Court on 7 February 2020. Khoo was also ordered to undertake 240 hours of community service.
Cefas enforcement and investigations officer, Jon Hullard, said, "This is a landmark case for us and will send an extremely strong message to the criminal fraternity that the Fish Health Inspectorate will take action against anyone who is found to have acted in defiance of the law."
"The risk to our country's aquatic animal health posed by illegal trades such as this cannot be underestimated, " he added.
Khoo had been importing eels from Spain and repackaging them at a barn in Gloucester before exporting again. Investigators estimate that in two years he exported 1,775 kilos of eels with an estimated value of £53m on the East Asian black market.
The FHI was key in compiling evidence leading to the prosecution on six counts under the Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 20211 and evasion of a prohibition on restriction on the export of goods. It was the first prosecution of its kind in the UK.
