Police step in to stop sale of tiger skull at Bonhams

Bonhams in Bond Street was visited by Met officers after a tip-off from a customer that the items were illegally up for auction. The body parts - a tiger's skull, three narwhal tusks and a number of turtle shells - were due to be sold in the annual Gentleman's Library sale.

An antiques dealer, attending a pre-sale viewing of the lots, spotted the items and alerted police.

Two officers from the Met's wildlife crime unit told Bonhams to remove the objects from the auction, warning staff they could be prosecuted and face a fine or even imprisonment if they were sold.

The antiques dealer, who asked not to be named, said he was shocked to see the body parts on display. "I called police and they said not to leave a bid because I could be liable to prosecution," he said.

"I have told Bonhams several times in the past they are supposed to establish whether items can be legally sold or not. They are very laissez faire and have a 'we know best' attitude."

The objects are covered by rules imposed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Although it is not illegal to own parts of endangered species, it is a criminal offence to sell or buy them. Offenders can face a maximum of five years in prison and an unlimited fine.

Heather Sohl of WWF called the case "shocking" and said Bonhams should have known better. "I am surprised to hear they had these items up for sale. It clearly demonstrates that illegal trade in wildlife still happens in London," she said. "We would encourage anyone working in an area like this to be more familiar with the law and to seek advice."

A Met spokesman said: "A member of the public raised concerns with us about the legal status of a number of objects derived from endangered species which were due for sale.

"Police went to the auction house and gave advice, which they acted on and the items were removed from the sale."

A spokesman for Bonhams said: "If the provenance of any items is questioned the leading auction houses will immediately withdraw them from sale. We work very closely with the police on these kind of things. The moment the police brought this to our attention we complied."

The Gentleman's Library sale, which was due to take place on Tuesday last week, featured a number of items of taxidermy and pieces of furniture. The auction normally generates more than £1million.