During the first weekend of September, inspectors conducted checks at the Lille Braderie, a large annual market in the heart of Lille that draws thousands of visitors. The event features a wide variety of goods, from antiques to handmade crafts, but it also attracts sellers offering items that may be illegal. During an inspection on Saturday, an inspector used a magnifying glass to examine an object and questioned the seller about its origin. The inspector noted differences between the object and another item, identifying one as ivory and the other as not. Several illegal items were seized during the inspection, including a set of 10 knives with ivory handles and some old medical equipment. David Turla, a member of the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB), confirmed the seizure and noted that all the items were confiscated. The seller will be summoned for an interview to explain why she was selling these items. If found guilty, she could face a fine of 150,000 euros and a potential prison sentence of up to three years. Selling ivory is illegal in France, as are many other items, including certain medicines, pharmaceutical products, weapons (including imitation ones), and items made from protected species such as elephant ivory, stuffed animals, shells, butterflies, and turtle scales. These restrictions aim to protect endangered species and prevent the illegal wildlife trade. Despite these strict regulations, more than 200 items related to the trade in protected species were seized during the Lille Braderie last year by the OFB. This highlights the ongoing challenge of enforcing wildlife protection laws at large public events where the variety of goods can make it difficult to identify illegal items.