TRAVEL

Bootleg Beluga

With the credit crunch, one wouldn't imagine that black market caviar would be a high priority for the UK government....


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With the credit crunch, one wouldn’t imagine that black market caviar would be a high priority for the UK government. But it has deemed the issue pressing enough to appoint an officer to examine serious wildlife crime, including illegal trade of the pricey delicacy. “[It] has devastated the sturgeon population,” said a spokesman. “The trade is worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, and the criminals involved are often linked to international organized crime.” The officer must inspect caviar for labeling that guarantees it doesn’t come from two endangered types of sturgeon: the Baltic and the shortnose.