'Shahtoosh' shawls and scarves worth Dh500,000 are seized

Shawls and scarves made of antelope wool have been confiscated by the Veterinary Services Section at the Dubai Municipality as part of the UAE's commitment to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES).

"We were informed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries that these items, which are made of antelope wool and are listed on CITES, are being sold in the market and we were asked to confiscate them," said Sami Abdullah Al Gargash, head of the section.

Raids by municipality inspectors in different areas here resulted in the confiscation of about 90 shawls and scarves worth Dh500,000, he said. They are made of material called shahtoosh (king of wools) and listed on CITES.

CITES is an international agreement between governments aimed at ensuring that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

It regulates international trade in more than 30,000 species of fauna and flora. The UAE is a signatory to CITES and also issued Federal Law No 11 of 2002 on Regulating and Controlling International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to enforce CITES, which helps to identify strict legal procedures to control illegal trade in wildlife trade and penalise violators.

Al Gargash said the move to confiscate these items underlines the UAE's commitment to CITES.

The items were confiscated from antique shops, he said. "We will send these items to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for identification."

The UAE's fight against illegal trade in endangered species has been successful. "There is also an enhanced level of awareness among buyers and traders as they now refrain from dealing in prohibited items," he said.

The UAE is also focusing on protecting the natural environment, wildlife and biological diversity by carrying out several studies on desert, marine and wildlife species and their habitat with the ultimate objective being conservation.