'When did monkey become a delicacy?' Alarm raised over African bushmeat flooding into Britain

Fears have been raised over African bushmeat being smuggled through Britain's borders and onto its streets.

Monkeys, sharks, antelopes and goats were named by Reform UK's home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf last night as he warned of the meat being smuggled into Britain.

The Reform UK spokesman said the meat was coming from "critically endangered species" and being brought into the country in suitcases on passenger flights.

"I'm not sure when monkey became a delicacy in this country," Mr Yusuf said.

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"This is the Britain the Tories and Labour have created."

The Reform UK spokesman said social media platforms, including TikTok and Instagram, were being used to sell illegal meat, with "home delivery" to postcodes in London.

The flesh is popular among some African and Asian communities, where it is considered a cultural delicacy or remedy.

Mr Yusuf pointed to a recent seizure of 11kg of illegal bushmeat in southeast London as an example.

In April, the Metropolitan Police seized the meat - which included rat and antelope - at a property in Peckham.

Officers from the Food Standard Agency (FSA) and Met Police's Peckham Rye Safer Neighbourhood Team took part in the raid.

The bushmeat has the "potential to devastate the livestock farming sector and destroy the wider rural economy", the Reform UK spokesman warned.

Illegally imported meat bypasses the UK's health and safety checks.

Concerns have been raised the illegal meat could carry high risks of diseases such as ebola, tuberculosis, and anthrax.

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In December, a man was arrested after police seized 38 kilograms of illegal frozen bushmeat including pangolins, cane rats and porcupines in south east London by officers from the FSA.

Pangolins are critically endangered and selling is prohibited around the world.

Operation Thunder is an ongoing global operation to crackdown on the illegal trade of wild flora and fauna run by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).

In 2025 the operation revealed an "escalating illicit trade of bushmeat" as a global record 5.8 tonnes of bushmeat was seized, with a notable increase in cases from Africa into Europe.

Belgian authorities intercepted primate meat, Kenyan officials seized over 400 kilograms of giraffe meat and Tanzanian law enforcement recovered zebra and antelope meat and skins valued at $10,000, Cites said.

David Toms-Sheridan, the head of investigations at the National Food and Crime Unit, previously said the organisation was under taking work to "disrupt the illegal meat trade".

He said: "The FSA advises consumers not to buy or eat illegally imported meat, including bushmeat, as it may pose serious health risks. If you have concerns about products being sold, contact your local authority.

"We remain vigilant to the threat of illegal meat entering the food chain and will continue to take action to protect the public."

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