It turns out that the news last week that South Yorkshire Police had executed a search warrant and arrested a 57-year-old man in connection with the illegal trading of wild birds’ eggs (here) was only one small part of a much wider operation.
It has now become apparent that there were other warrants executed at addresses across the UK on the same day (21 November 2024) and the latest report comes from an Essex Police press release (dated 28 November) as follows:
BENFLEET: MAN ARRESTED AND WILD BIRDS EGGS SEIZED
A man has been arrested and thousands of wild birds eggs seized during a warrant carried out by our Wildlife Crime specialists within our Rural Engagement Team in Benfleet.
Officers attended an address on Thursday 21 November as part of co-ordinated activity across the UK to tackle the illegal trade in wild bird eggs, with similar warrants taking place elsewhere.
Thousands of eggs were seized and a 62 year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing wild bird eggs illegally in contravention of Section One of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
He has since been released on bail until 25 January.
Our investigation has fallen out from an investigation into the theft and sale of bird eggs which originated in Norway in June 2023.
Since then, more than a dozen warrants have been carried out, more than 56,000 bird eggs seized, and more than a dozen arrests and charges in Norway.
ENDS
I’m aware of other warrants that were executed on the same day in other UK counties, as part of the same police operation, but unfortunately the police’s media teams are not as coordinated as their raid teams so we’ll have to wait to find out the details, when/if further news is released by individual police forces.
Nevertheless, this looks to have been a well-resourced operation and was obviously based on good intelligence, judging by the results released so far. Well done to the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) for taking the lead.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Fantastic news and hope this leads to successful prosecutions that serve to deter others.
It is good to see that the authorities are targeting organised egg taking as well as the more customary forms of persecution.