London businessman exposed as trophy hunter in explosive new book

A successful London businessman who worked for leading British brands has been exposed as one of the country’s top trophy hunters in a new book.

The revelations appear in Mainlining on Heroin, part of a shocking trilogy released by investigative author Eduardo Goncalves, founder of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting.

The books mark the 10th anniversary of the killing of Cecil the Lion, the beloved lion whose death at the hands of an American trophy hunter shocked the world.

Each volume includes a foreword by a leading figure: Mainlining on Heroin is introduced by Dr Jane Goodall, Twenty Elephants in Seventy-Five Minutes by Chris Packham, and Shoot One Lion – Get One FREE by Priscilla Presley.

The trilogy lifts the lid on the global trophy hunting industry. In Twenty Elephants in Seventy-Five Minutes, hunters boast of slaughtering thousands of elephants and even gorillas. Shoot One Lion – Get One FREE delves into the grisly business of hunting holidays and their grinning customers.

In Mainlining on Heroin, Goncalves investigates Britain’s trophy hunting industry and reveals how UK-based individuals and companies are playing a leading role in the trade.

Among them is a man from London who leads a thriving business. While overseeing prestigious commercial projects – he was also embarking on luxury big-game hunts across Africa and Europe.

He was identified by a South African hunting operator as one of their top British clients. The company allows hunters to shoot more than 40 species.

Speaking to undercover investigators from the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, the man described treating himself to an African hunting trip for his 40th birthday. “It was really good. There’s plenty of game. I had a big kudu – probably one of the best hunts I’ve ever done… Took it down with a neck shot.”

He recalled other kills, including a blue wildebeest at 320 yards. “It took about 8 steps and went down,” he said. His kudu, shot at a steep upward angle, “dropped on the spot.”

He explained how he had pressured the local taxidermists to ship his trophies quickly in case the UK government introduced its proposed import ban: “It must have cost me the best part of three grand… I kept chasing them. I want to get this stuff here before suddenly the law changes and I’ve paid you a chunk of money and I can’t get the stuff.”

His hunting companion was “blooded” after his first kill – a practice where the guide smears an animal’s blood across a first-timer’s face. “They literally did his whole face,” he said. “He was walking around all day with all this stuff all over his face!”

He also talked about his regular hunting trips to Romania, flying out from Luton “six or seven times a year” to hunt wild boar, red stags and roe deer. “They’ve got bears and wolves but you’re not really supposed to shoot those,” he admitted.

Eduardo Goncalves said: “These revelations are a wake-up call. British individuals are heavily involved in this morally bankrupt industry. We need to end the charade that this is conservation. The UK government must finally deliver on its promise to ban hunting trophy imports once and for all.”

To find out more about The Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting go to www.bantrophyhunting.org
The books are available to purchase on Amazon