In October 2023, the UK Border Force played a pivotal role in Operation Thunder, a global enforcement initiative targeting the illegal wildlife trade. Over the course of the month-long operation, UK officers made 145 seizures involving thousands of illegal wildlife products banned under CITES with Heathrow Airport being a notable hotspot. These included 5.5 kg of ivory, 434 live plants, over 1,000 health supplements containing illegal plant and animal products, a ceremonial headdress made with big cat fur, vulture and falcon eggs, and 53 live CITES-listed birds.