Environmental Crime News

21 November 2009

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Environmental crime

Environmental crime news

This section provides a round-up of news stories related to Environmental crime, both from INTERPOL and from other sources around the world.

Disclaimer: Please note that views and opinions expressed on external websites do not necessarily represent the views of INTERPOL or its employees.

2009

2008

2007

18 November

Thailand - Two Held in Ivory Smuggling Probe

Thai police have arrested two men on charges of smuggling African ivory into the country to supply shops in Thailand that sell jewellery and trinkets.

15 November

United States - Flagged by INTERPOL, brought down by the Environmental Protection Agency

A Irish national suspected of selling ships for drug smuggling out of Spain has been arrested in the USA after a wanted listing posted on the US Environmental Protection Agency's website.

12 November

Brazil - British Pet Shop Owner 'Tried to Smuggle 1000 Spiders'

Brazilian police have seized a British pet-shop owner who was caught trying to smuggle 1,000 live spiders out of the country in his suitcases, officers said tonight. The man, who has not been named, was arrested late on Wednesday as he tried to board a flight to Europe at Rio de Janeiro's international airport.

11 November

International - Crime Rings Boost Ivory Smuggling

he last year has seen a major increase in the illegal ivory trade, with more involvement from organised crime. Figures compiled by Traffic show a doubling in the volume of illegal ivory seized from 2008 to 2009.

7 November

Nigeria - Man Held After Tonnes of Illegal E-waste are Exported to Africa

The director of a British waste export company suspected of illegally shipping defunct televisions and electronic goods to Africa was detained on suspicion of the illegal export of electronic waste from Britain in an operation by the Environment Agency and the Metropolitan Police as part of a wider crackdown on a trade which leaves thousands of tonnes of broken and contaminated electrical goods dumped in the developing world each year.

7 November

United Kingdom - INTERPOL Group to Crackdown on Illegal Waste Exports

The UK Environment Agency is heading up a groundbreaking international environmental crime group to help tackle illegal dumping of electrical waste on developing countries.

4 November

United Kingdom - UK Environment Agency to Crackdown on 'Waste Tourists'

Environmental watchdogs are to crack down on 'waste tourists' visiting Britain to arrange for toxic rubbish to be shipped to developing nations.

3 November

Korea - Korea to Lead 'Green Customs'

Korea will take the lead in fostering ``Green Customs'' in the Asia-Pacific region to prevent the cross-border shipments of environmentally harmful goods, save energy and introduce other environment-friendly practices, Korea Customs Services (KCS) Commissioner Hur Yong-suk said Tuesday.

31 October

India - Collective Political Commitment Needed, Say Tiger Experts

Experts from the tiger range countries have called for a collective political commitment from all levels of the government to save the animals and enhancing the capacity of the Interpol and other international agencies and enforcement networks to combat illegal trade in wildlife.

29 October

Poland - African Monkey Meat Seized in Poland

Customs officials have found a smoked monkey in the luggage of a female student travelling from Cameroon to attend university in Poland.

29 October

Liberia - Rubber Company Implicated in Water Pollution

An investigation by the government in Liberia has concluded that the Firestone Rubber Plantation Company has polluted local water sources.

29 October

International - Tuna Ban 'Justified' by Science

Banning trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna is justified by the extent of their decline, an analysis by scientists advising fisheries regulators suggests.

28 October

Nepal - World's Tigers Years Away from Extinction

Tigers could become extinct in the wild in two decades unless the world ramps up conservation efforts to halt the decline in their population, wildlife experts have announced.

27 October

South Africa - Illegal Wildlife Product Exporter Arrested

A man has been arrested at OR Tambo International Airport for illegally exporting endangered wildlife products, the Green Scorpions (environment inspectors for the agriculture department) have announced.

27 October

United Kingdom - Live Coral Seized at Manchester Airport

Endangered live corals have been seized by officers from the UK Border Agency at Manchester Airport. The animals, which are protected under international law, were discovered in air freight from Australia, and were part of a larger, legitimate consignment of aquatic specimens.

27 October

Norway - Customs Find Snakes Taped to Man

VIDEO: A man has been arrested in Norway after trying to smuggle 24 reptiles into the country by taping them to his body. Fourteen royal pythons rolled up in socks were found taped to the man's torso and 10 geckos held in small boxes were taped to his legs.

25 October

Colombia - Colombia's Endangered Species at the Mercy of Jungle Drug Cartels

A global campaign will make young people aware of the danger the illicit drug trade represents to hundreds of species in Colombia's rainforests.

24 October

India - Why Does India Buy the World's Rubbish?

A report by India's Tehelka Magazine into the illegal traffic of waste from European countries to be dumped in India.

17 October

International - Illegal Ivory Trade Threat to Elephants

MORE than 100 African elephants are killed every day for their tusks, despite a 20-year-old world ban on the sale of ivory. Wildlife groups believe the scale of illegal hunting could drive the elephant to extinction across much of Africa within 15 years.

17 October

Malta - The Fight Against Malta's Illegal Bird Hunt

Malta is an important way-point for birds migrating between Europe and Africa. But the spring and autumn migrations attract illegal hunters, who pick off the birds as they fly overhead. There has been a huge rise in illegal hunting in recent years, prompting conservationist group BirdLife Malta to set up camps to deter illegal hunters.

16 October

United Kingdom - eBay Ivory Trader Jailed for 10 Months

A man who traded in ivory from endangered species on eBay was sentenced to 10 months in prison following an international investigation by British HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Elephants’ tusks and whales’ teeth had been carved into billiard balls or used to make corkscrews before being sold on the commercial website.

25 September

USA/Canada - INTERPOL Co-ordinates Landmark Hazardous Waste Operation in North America

The first-ever international environmental initiative co-ordinated by INTERPOL against the illegal transportation of hazardous waste has seen Canadian and US authorities carry out an operation that saw hundreds of vehicles checked along their border.

24 September

Italy - Mafia Boss's Pet Caiman Seized by Italian Police

Police near Naples are looking into claims that a mafia boss used the threat of being fed to an alligator-like reptile as a way of convincing local businesspeople to pay for protection. The South American caiman was found on the terrace of a top-floor flat in the town of Orta di Atella

21 September

The Netherlands - German and Dutch Police Collaborate Against Illegal Dumping at Sea

German and Dutch police and maritime authorities have collaborated to bring to justice the owners of a ship found to be dumping a controlled substance at sea.

20 September

Malta - Bengali Tiger Owner Says Cub was Legally Imported

The owner of a three-month-old Bengal tiger seized by the Malta Planning and Environment Authority has claimed that it was imported legally. Investigations continue.

18 September

South Africa - Man Caught at Airport with Crocodiles in Luggage

A South African man has been caught trying to smuggle 70 live animals including crocodiles through airport customs in his luggage.

16 September

Italy - Mafia 'Sank Ships of Toxic Waste'

A shipwreck apparently containing toxic waste is being investigated by authorities in Italy amid claims that it was deliberately sunk by the mafia. An informant from the Calabrian mafia said the ship was one of a number he blew up as part of an illegal operation to bypass laws on toxic waste disposal.

9 September

Australia - Customs and Border Protection Cracks Egg Smuggling Attempt

Customs and Border Protection has cracked its third wildlife smuggling attempt in Western Australia in the last month with the arrest of two men in Perth.

8 September

Thailand - Police Recover Elephant Stolen 2 Months Ago

A female elephant stolen by a gang two months ago has been found by police chained to a tree. Elephant thieves have been active in recent months with gangs usually demanding a ransom from the owners for the beasts' return.

8 September

United States - Environmental Tort Lawsuit Settled by Ford Over Toxic Waste Dump

Residents of a New Jersey town and Ford Motor Co. have reached a settlement in an environmental lawsuit filed over a toxic waste dump, which residents claim has caused many to suffer cancer and skin problems. Although details of the settlement were not released, The Record of North Jersey reports that more than 600 plaintiffs will share in $10 million.

7 September

India - Two Arrested for Trying to Sell Tiger and Deer Skins

Police arrested two men for attempting to sell animal skins. Two skins were recovered and according to the police, preliminary tests showed they were a genuine tiger skin and a deer skin.

7 September

Sri Lanka - Chief Justice Seeks Justice for Nature

The Sri Lankan Chief Justice Asoka de Silva has said that it is a fundamental duty of the government to protect nature and its abundant riches so that it could be passed over to future generations for their benefit. The Chief Justice made these comments during the launch of a handbook titled “Judges and Environmental law”.

6 September

United Kingdom - Eco-Crime Set to Rise, Agency Warns

"Land-grabbing" and trading in fake carbon credits could be the new faces of organised eco-crime, campaigners investigating illegal activities against wildlife have warned.

4 September

International - Growing Problem Of E-waste: Bringing Harmony To Electronic Waste Disposal

Disposal and recycling standards for old computer equipment and other electronic waste must be harmonized for this rapidly growing problem to be dealt with effectively across national borders. An analysis of the current rules and regulations is reported in the latest issue of the International Journal of Environmental Engineering.

4 September

United States - First DNA Barcodes of Commonly Traded Bushmeat are Published

Leather handbags and chunks of red meat: when wildlife specialists find these items in shipping containers, luggage, or local markets, they can now use newly published genetic sequences known as "DNA barcodes" to pinpoint the species of origin. Experts hope that this simple technique will track the harvesting of bushmeat and will ultimately crack down on the widespread and growing international trade in bushmeat.

1 September

India - Zoo Monkey Smuggler Flees from Custody

A man accused of the theft and smuggling of common marmosets (Brazilian monkeys) from Alipore zoo, has escaped from custody.

27 August

Madagascar - Poachers Threaten Spider Tortoise

Poachers are threatening the survival of the northern Madagascar spider tortoise, which only lives along a narrow strip of the island's coast. The animal has disappeared from swathes of its habitat, taken by collectors to supply the exotic pet trade.

25 August

Vietnam - Smuggled Pangolin and Tortoise Shells Seized in Vietnam

Vietnamese customs inspectors have seized some 10 tons of pangolin and tortoise shells smuggled from Indonesia. The pangolin and tortoise shells were hidden in packages covered by seaweed in two shipping containers.

24 August

Madagascar - Lemurs Slaughtered for Bush Meat

A massive upsurge in the illegal hunting of lemurs in Madagascar is threatening the survival of many species.

24 August

Vietnam - Smuggled Elephant Tusks Hidden Under Snail Shells

Vietnamese customs inspectors have discovered more than two tonnes of elephant tusks hidden in a shipping container full of snail shells from Kenya.

24 August

Thailand - Forest Loses Precious Trees

Villagers in Sanam Chai Khet district say wildlife and forestry officers are colluding in cutting down precious trees in a forest complex spanning five eastern provinces.

23 August

United Kingdom - Carbon Credit Fraud Case Leads to Seven Arrests

Authorities in the UK have arrested 7 individuals in a multi-million dollar carbon credit trading fraud case with more possible arrests on the way.

21 August

Vietnam - Police Arrest Ivory Smugglers

Police have detained two men suspected of smuggling 17 elephant tusks weighing 94 kilos in total.

21 August

Brazil/United Kingdom - Toxic Waste Shipment Returns to UK from Brazil

Containers of toxic waste that the Brazilian government claims were illegally exported from the UK to the South American country arrived back in Britain today. The UK Environment Agency's investigation into the contents of the cargo and its source is continuing.

20 August

China - 'Hundreds ill' Near Smelting Plant

Authorities in China have closed a second metal smelter after more than 1,300 children fell sick with lead poisoning, state media have reported.

20 August

Singapore - Tracking Technology for Timber

(Video) A BBC report on recapping the trade in stolen timber and recent efforts to improve enforcement featuring a unique scientific method to verify the origin of wood products.

20 August

United States - Man Gets 20 Months in Jail for Illegal Dumping

Donald Chairamonte of Connecticut, also known as “Donnie the Dump,” was sentenced to 20 months in prison and $15,000 in restitution for a long history of illegal dumping dating back to 1976. He pleaded guilty to illegal dumping, reckless endangerment, illegal disposal of asbestos and criminal trespass.

20 August

United Kingdom - Skip Hire Bosses Ordered to Pay £234,393 for "Waste Mountain"

Two directors of a skip hire company were ordered to pay £234,393 (approx. 266,946 Euro) after admitting to having allowed waste to be illegally stored at an unlicensed site.

20 August

India - Police Seek INTERPOL's Help to Rescue Stolen Primates

Police have contacted INTERPOL seeking its expertise to discover the eight Brazilian variety monkeys stolen from Alipur Zoo on 9 August.

20 August

Singapore - Tracking Technology for Timber

19 August

India - Call to Lift Ban on Export of Red Sander Logs

The government of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has called for the ban on the export of Red Sander logs to be lifted in order to encourage private farming and reduce the pressure on the natural forests.

18 August

United Kingdom - Wildlife Crime 'Not Taken Seriously'

A shake-up of wildlife policing is being called for by conservationists including The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and The Wildlife Trusts. They say an inconsistent and often poor response to wildlife crime from police means criminals are able to break the law with little fear of detection. But why are so few perpetrators being brought to justice?

14 August

Malaysia - Wildlife Trade Regulation Course has Early Success

Frontline staff at two of Malaysia’s busiest airports underwent an intensive training course last week to enhance their ability to identify and intercept wildlife traffickers who use the two facilities.

13 August

Australia - Snake Smugglers Feel the Squeeze

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service has seized two boa constrictors in Perth and two corn snakes in Cairns as part of a major wildlife smuggling investigation.

12 August

Malta - US Environmental Fugitive Extradited

A man who was listed as one of the top 20 fugitives by the US Environment Protection Agency was hauled into court this week after he was extradited from Malta.

10 August

Malaysia - Illegal Animal Trading puts Malaysia on the World Map for all the Wrong Reasons

A report on the rise of wildlife poaching and smuggling in Malaysia, referencing both animals killed with the county's borders and that trafficked through its ports.

9 August

India - This May be the Last Time You See a Tiger

A report into the diminshing tiger popultion in India which is believed to have falled from an estimated 40,000 big cats a century ago to just 1,300 and falling.

6 August

Africa - 'Slaughter' Fear Over Poaching Rise

The number of African elephants killed illegally for their ivory is rising steeply. A poaching surge in the past five years is raising fears of a re-run of the catastrophic slaughter of elephants in the 1970s and 1980s.

6 August

Brazil - Brazil Returns Hazardous UK Waste

Around 1,500 tons of hazardous waste which arrived in Brazil from the UK labelled as recyclable plastic is on its way back, authorities have said.

5 August

International - Smuggling Wildlife: From Eggs in a Bra to Geckos in Underwear

An interview with John Sellar, enforcement assistance chief at the UN agency against illegal wildlife trade, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

5 August

United States - Man Receives 20-Month Sentence For Illegally Dumping Waste

A judge has sentenced a man to 20 months in prison and ordered him to pay more than $15,000 in restitution, a punishment that caps what the judge called a "long, long" history of illegal dumping with more than two dozen arrests dating to 1976. The judge also barred the man from ever working in the waste disposal industry again.

4 August

Australia - Illegal Exotic Wildlife Seized

Illegal exotic fish, toads and turtles have been seized by federal environment investigations officers during searches on properties in the Sydney suburbs of Mount Druitt and Concord.

3 August

Zimbabwe - Government Official Behind Ivory and Rhino Smuggling

Minister of defence and President Robert Mugabe’s heir apparent, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has been named by a British newspaper as the mastermind behind a multi-million dollar ivory and rhino horn smuggling cartel.

31 July

India - Pelt Seizures Surge as 100 Tigers Vanish

In six years more than a 100 big cats have died in the Indian state of Karnataka. The tiger population has fallen from 401 in 2001-2 to 290 in 2008. While no figures for the number of animals that perished to poaching is available, the state has also seen a sharp increase in the capture of tiger and leopard pelts.

31 July

United States - International Cap-and-Trade Regime Could Benefit Organized Crime by Creating Carbon Credit Black Market, Senator Warns

Senator John Barrasso has said the cap-and-trade legislation passed by the House of Representatives could be a boon for organized crime in the United States by creating a carbon credit industry that could spawn fraud, money laundering and other criminal activities.

29 July

Vietnam - 200kg of Tusks Seized

Customs officials have uncovered 200kg of elephant ivory tusks illegally imported from Kenya. The tusks were found hidden in timber inside a container at the northern Hai Phong port.

29 July

Philippines - Three Northen Regions Link up to Curb Illegal Logging

The local governments in the Cordillera, Ilocos, and Cagayan Valley regions will establish joint checkpoints to curb illegal logging and slash-and-burn farming in 22 upland watersheds in Northern Luzon, an environment department official has announced.

29 July

Brazil - Brazil to Sue UK over Waste Shipment

Brasilia has threatened to launch a formal WTO complaint against the United Kingdom after discovering that 1,400 tons of waste that were mislabelled as recyclable plastic had been imported into Brazil from the UK. The WTO complaint will be based on the Basel Convention, an international treaty that has governed the cross-border movement of toxic waste since 1992.

28 July

Italy - Mob Turns Green for Cash

Italian anti-mafia magistrates are investigating two cases that allegedly involve mob families offering local politicians money and votes in exchange for permits to build wind farms. The families – one in three larger Sicilian provinces, another around the western port of Trapani – may have been motivated by EU subsidies that guarantee rates of rates of €0.18 ($0.25 cents) per kilowatt hour for expected production, even if the farm doesn’t supply electricity to the Italian electrical system.

27 July

United Kingdom - Gangs Making Millions by Illegally Dumping Toxic Waste

Gangs are making millions by illegally dumping toxic waste in developing countries, investigators revealed yesterday. Investigators say there is a black market in toxic waste in which gangs charge businesses to lawfully dump their rubbish.

24 July

Thailand - Vietnamese Wildlife Enforcement Officials Observe Thailand’s Anti-Wildlife Crime Measures

Officials from Viet Nam’s Environmental Police, Customs and Forest Protection Department visited Thailand from 13-17 July, to observe the country’s anti-wildlife crime measures, in particular the mechanisms which support effective interagency co-operation.

22 July

Tanzania - Six Charged with Illegal Ivory Export

Six Dar es Salaam residents were yesterday charged with illegal export of more than 11 tons of elephant tusks worth over 684 million Shillings (Approx 516,000) The accused who are officials of three clearing and forwarding Companies, were accused of illegally exporting 11,061 kg of the tusks.

20 July

Vietnam - Frozen Tiger and Bones Seized

Hanoi's environmental police have seized a frozen young tiger and several kilograms of tiger bones, the third seizure of tiger related products this year in Hanoi.

19 July

Brazil/United Kingdom - Waste Companies Face Inqury as British Rubbish is Returned from Brazil

More than 1,400 tonnes of potentially hazardous waste, including nappies, condoms, syringes and bags of blood, will be returned to Britain from Brazil as UK authorities investigate whether they were illegally exported.

19 July

International - Irish Environmental Crime Fugitive Arrested in Malta

An Irishman accused of environmental crimes in the state of California has been arrested in Malta and remanded in custody after a Maltese court denied his request for bail this week. The United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Southern District Court of California and INTERPOL have been seeking the man to answer for environmental crimes in the US.

17 July

International - Green Customs Operation Seizes 30,000 Tons of Illegal Waste

A joint Customs initiative across Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and Africa has netted more than 30,000 tons and 1,500 pieces of illegal hazardous waste in 57 seizures, ranging from household waste and scrap metal to discarded electronic goods and used vehicle parts.

17 July

Pakistan - Wildlife Officials Accused of Smuggling Turtle Meat to China

The Pakistani railway police have arrested officials from the Wildlife Department under suspicion of attempting to smuggle dired turtle meat to China.

16 July

Kenya - Officials Seize Ivory and Rhino Horns as Poaching Rises

The Kenyan government has seized $1 million worth of elephant ivory and black rhinoceros horns which were on their way from southern Africa to Asia. This incident comes on the heels of a report last week from conservation groups that illegal rhinoceros poaching is at a 15-year high.

15 July

Italy - 32 Mobsters with Ties to Illegal Toxic Waste Dumping Arrested

Italian police say they have arrested 32 suspected mobsters with ties to the Naples based Camorra crime syndicate. Authorities have said the mobsters' clan, the Casalesi, are involved in the illegal transport and disposal of tons of toxic waste from the industrial north to the underdeveloped south.

14 July

Australia - Sandalwood Thief Arrested

A man has been convicted of stealing 600kg of Sandalwood, one of the world's most valuable timbers, from an Australian national park. The timber - dubbed "wooden gold' - can fetch up to $10,000 a tonne on the black market.

14 July

Singapore - Weak Laws Encourage Rising Demand for Pangolin

Rising demand for pangolins, mostly from mainland China, compounded by lax laws is wiping out the unique toothless anteaters from their native habitats in Southeast Asia, according to a group of leading pangolin experts.

14 July

India - Tiger Park 'Has No Tigers'

One of India's main tiger parks - Panna National Park - has admitted it no longer has any tigers. A report has suggested that most of the park's tigers were lost to poaching.

14 July

United States - Tagging Technology to Track Trash

The ebb and flow of thousands of pieces of household rubbish are to be tracked using sophisticated mobile tags. It is hoped that making people confront the final journey of their waste will make them reduce what they throw away. Initially, 3,000 pieces of rubbish, donated by volunteers, will be tagged in New York, Seattle and London.

13 July

Malaysia - Toxic Electronic Waste on the Rise

A report on the dangers posed by the growing amount of toxic electronic waste (e-waste) being dumped around the world. This report focuses on Malaysia

13 July

United Kingdom/International - Barcodes on Trees Help to Save Forests

Plastic tags, developed by a British company and like those on supermarket groceries, have been nailed to a million trees across Africa, Southeast Asia and South America to help countries keep track of timber reserves.

13 July

Tanzania - Woman Arrested at Airport Trying to Smuggle Ivory to China

Four suspects, including a businesswoman and three airport officials employed by the Government, have been arrested at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) for allegedly trying to smuggle ivory and other Government trophies to China.

13 July

Zimbabwe - Government Officials Implicated in Rhino Smuggling

Two high profile officials in the Zimbabwean Zanu-PF government have been implicated in a Rhino Horn smuggling operation which also involves a number of other nationals from South Africa and China.

11 July

Malaysia/Thailand - Thai Probe Shows Tiger Parts Came from Malaysia

Investigations by Thai wildlife authorities have confirmed that some of the tiger parts confiscated in Thailand last year belonged to the Malayan tiger, a species found only in the Malaysian Peninsula.

8 July

Africa - United Nations and INTERPOL Plan to Fight West African Crime

Three U.N. bodies and INTERPOL have teamed up to fight smuggling and organized crime in West Africa where it is corrupting governments, aiding insurgents and polluting the environment.

8 July

Mozambique - European Hunters Arrested for Elephant Killing in National Park

Mozambican police have arrested two European professional hunters for killing an elephant belonging to the Gorongosa National Park (PNG), in the central province of Sofala, according to a press statement from the park’s communication department.

8 July

International - Operation Yields Tons of Illegal Shipments of Hazardous Waste

A joint global Customs initiative across Europe, the Asia/Pacific region and Africa netted more than 30000 tons and 1,500 pieces of illegal hazardous waste in 57 seizures, ranging from household waste and scrap metal to discarded electronic goods and used vehicle parts.

8 July

United Kingdom - Organised Crime Targets Waste Recycling

A report on how organised crime has moved into the recycling industry - a development that has become clear over the past few months after a series of raids to enforce the EU's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive .

7 July

Thailand - Police Search Finds Pangolin Shipment

A suspected pangolin smuggler thought to have links with a major wildlife trafficking gang has been arrested in Muang district as he was transporting 10 live pangolins to his home.

4 July

South Africa - Medical Waste Dumped at Picnic Spot

Police are investigating the dumping of hazardous medical waste at a popular recreational facility on the South African coast. Since February, Casu-arina Park Beach in Tongaat, a picnic spot frequented by locals, has been used as a make-shift dump for medical waste, including blood specimens, used syringes, scalpels, blades and glass slides.

4 July

China - Government and Green Organizations Look to Regulate the Electronic Waste Trade

A report detailing the efforts of the Chinese government and organizations such as Greenpeace to regulate the dumping of electronic waste in China.

2 July

Poland - Scorpions Surprise Polish Customs

Polish customs officers were surprised to find live scorpions in a parcel from Hong Kong supposed to contain toys. The small parcel held 39 scorpions, 32 of them still alive, customs officials told AFP news agency.

1 July

Kenya - Attack Conservationist Steps up Conflict in Illegal Ivory Trade

A leading conservationist has been attacked in what she described as revenge for her "involvement in anti-poaching efforts and attempts to break into the illegal ivory and rhino horn trade."

1 July

Worldwide - Wildlife Crisis Worse than Economic Crisis Says International Union for Conservation of Nature

Life on Earth is under serious threat, despite the commitment by world leaders to reverse the trend, according to a detailed analysis of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™.

30 June

Australia - Man Fined in Landmark Reptile Trade Case

A man has been convicted and fined for charges of illegal trade and possession of native reptiles in a landmark decision in the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court last week. Meyndert Bornman was convicted and fined $30,000 and ordered to pay an additional $1490 in court costs. Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) investigator Emily Gibson said this was the largest fine ever handed down in Victoria for this type of offence.

30 June

Thailand - Wildlife Trafficker Convicted to Two Years in Prison

One of Thailand's major wildlife traffickers has been sentenced to two years in jail for trying to smuggle 245 Malayan Pangolins and 63 Black Marsh Turtles into Bangkok three years ago, police sources said Tuesday.

29 June

Brazil - 86 Percent of Environmental Crimes in Brazilian Amazon Go Unpunished

Some 86 percent of the environmental crimes committed in the Brazilian Amazon region go unpunished, the O Globo newspaper reported Sunday, citing a study by the non-governmental organization Imazon.

27 June

Indonesia - 24,550 Hectares of National Park in Indonesia Damaged

At least 24,550 hectares of land in the Halimun Salak Mountain National Park located in the border between Banten and West Java provinces are in damaged condition due to illegal mining and logging, an official was quoted as saying.

26 June

United States - Electronic Waste Piles up in Utah

A report detailing the boom in legal and illegal e-waste disposal in the state of Utah.

25 June

Madagascar - Illegal Logging Driving Lemurs to Extinction

Logging in Madagascar, an island nation off Africa's southeast coast, is endangering ancient animal and plants species, notably lemurs, primates only found in the region.

24 June

Pakistan - Pakistan a Dumping Ground for Electronic Waste

Despite the fact that dumping old computers in developing countries has been declared as violation of international law, Pakistan has been being used as dumping ground for over 50,000 tons of e-waste that hurts local industry and also creates environmental and health hazards.

24 June

China - Wildlife on Menu Spurs Smuggling

The director of enforcement and training at the endangered species' office of the Chinese State Forestry Administration has said that a rising appetite for wildlife and its increasing use in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is fueling an increase in the illegal imports of endangered animals.

20 June

United States - Who's Who on the Environmental Protection Agency's Most Wanted List? (Audio)

An interview conducted by the United States' National Public Radio with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Deputy Director regarding their investigations into and pursuit of environmental criminals.

20 June

Norway - Whale Meat Trade Increases, Despite Ban

Despite being officially illegal, the international trade in whale meat between the whale-hunting nations is quietly picking up again, say enviromental campaigners.

19 June

Thailand - Study Claims Bangkok Still Harbours the Largest Illegal Ivory Market in Asia

Bangkok still harbours the largest illegal ivory market in Asia despite efforts to stamp out its reputation as an illegal wildlife trade hub, says a study by the Britain-based wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC. The network found more than 70% of souvenir shops in Thailand have ivory items for sale.

19 June

United States - Cleanup Operation Begins for Fallout from 'the Worst Toxic Exposure Recorded in the U.S.'

The Obama administration’s announcement on Wednesday of a public health emergency in the Rocky Mountain community marks the start of an extensive, home-by-home cleanup and better health protections for those with asbestos-related illnesses.

18 June

Malta - Environment and Planning Authority Begins Operations Against Environmental Cases

The Maltese Environment and Planning Authority has begun a number of operations against outstanding violations of the country's environmental laws. These have included interventions against an illegal scrapyard and actions against illegal construction along the coastline.

18 June

Cambodia - Mekong Dolphin Near Extinct

Pollution in South-east Asia's Mekong River has pushed freshwater dolphins in Cambodia and Laos to the brink of extinction, an international conservation group said on Thursday. The World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) said only 64 to 76 Irrawaddy dolphins remain in the Mekong after toxic levels of pesticides, mercury and other pollutants were found in more than 50 calves who have died since 2003.

17 June

Kuwait - Officials Carry Out First Wildlife Confiscation

Kuwait carried out its first animal confiscation last month, seven years after signing up to an international convention to clamp down on the trade in endangered species, a move hailed by conservationists as an important step towards stemming a growing tide of animals trafficked into the Gulf state.

17 June

Thailand - Illegal Loggers Destroy Protected Forest

The deforestation of Yang Bay, a protected forest in Khanh Hoa Province’s, continues unchecked despite a barrage of media reports on the illegal logging. Local authorities found dozens of valuable but endangered trees cut down during a recent inspection of this area, most of them with trunks measuring almost a meter across.

15 June

Philippines - Raid on Mayor’s Farm Yields Illegal Lumber

A raid of a 30-hectare farm of a mayor suspected to be supportive of illegal logging activities has yielded several pieces of undocumented lumber and outlawed logging equipment.

11 June

United States - Environmental Protection Agency Takes Action Against Exporter of E-Waste

The US EPA filed a Complaint and Compliance Order late last week against EarthEcycle, an electronic waste handler for several charity e-waste collection events held in Pennsylvania. The complaint follows an investigation by the Basel Action Network (BAN) which tracked 7 sea-going containers of the collected toxic e-waste to Hong Kong and South Africa after assurances were made that the wastes would be recycled locally.

9 June

China - Authorities Seize Van with 173 Bear Paws, a Python Skin, and a Pangolin Carcass

Authorities in southern China seized a van they suspected was hauling drugs but found it packed with what may be a different kind of contraband: bear paws, a python skin and a pangolin carcass, an official said Tuesday.

8 June

Australia - World's Oceans Becoming Dumping Ground

The growing problem of marine litter is harming oceans and beaches worldwide and authorities must act now to reverse and prevent further environmental degradation, said a report released Monday, World Oceans Day. The new report ”Marine Litter: A Global Challenge” is a result of a collaboration between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Ocean Conservancy.

8 June

United Kingdom - Large-Scale Raids on Suspected Illegal Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment Exports

The Environment Agency has revealed it has taken its "most significant" action yet against suspected illegal exports of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) to Africa, with raids on sites in east London and Essex on Friday 5 June.

8 June

Madagascar - International Community Calls for Action Against Gangs’ Illegal Logging in Madagascar

Six nations and three conservation organizations have issued a statement calling for action against illegal logging in Madagascar’s protected areas.

8 June

Guyana - Seminar Aims to Improve Law Enforcement Response to Illegal Wildlife Trade

A four day workshop, held in Guyana and attended law enforcement and customs officials from the Carribean, has recently concluded. The seminar aimed to teach participants the skills to enforce laws more efficiently and also sought the creation of a regional law enforcement network against environmental crime.

7 June

International - Pirate Fishing Causing Eco Disaster and Killing Communities

A new report confirms uncontrolled waves of violent, eco-damaging and illegal fishing worldwide, but with some of the biggest offences connected to the European market. Pirate fishing is out of control, depriving some the most world's most vulnerable communities of food and leading to ecological catastrophe, a three-year investigation has found.

5 June

International - The Environment: Individual Choices are Key to Preservation

A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) into the relation between organised criminal gangs dealing in drugs and the destruction of the environment.

4 June

India - India Becoming the Developed World's Favorite Dumping Ground for Electronic Waste

A report by the Times of India alleging that the country is becoming the developed nations' favourite dumping ground as over 50,000 tonnes of e-waste, including old PC's, mobiles and television sets, is dumped in the country.

4 June

Indonesia - Forest Carbon Market Showing Cracks

A plan to pay tropical countries not to chop down trees risks being discredited by opportunists even before it starts.

2 June

Tanzania - Six Officials Arrested over Ivory Smuggling Ring

Six officials of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in a multi-million dollar organised crime network smuggling large numbers of elephant tusks through the Dar es Salaam port to foreign lands.

2 June

Poland - Attempt to Smuggle 120 Tortoises Foiled

Polish customs at the Ukrainian border Tuesday found 121 Central Asian tortoises, a threatened species, bound so tightly in black tape that their heads could barely squeeze out from their shells. Officers arrested a 34-year-old Ukrainian man allegedly attempting to cross the border with the animals.

2 June

India - Authorities Stress Need for Cross-Border Cooperation to Fight Wildlife Trade

Nepali and Indian wildlife conservation authorities have recommended trans-border cooperation as an urgent requirement to tackle illegal wildlife trade across the porous Indo-Nepal border.

29 May

Indonesia - Forest-CO2 Scheme Will Draw Organised Crime

An interview with Peter Younger of INTERPOL's Project Oasis in which he discusses the potential for fraud and corruption in the nascent forest carbon credit market.

25 May

Indonesia - Pangolin Smugglers Arrested in Riau

Police in Riau foiled an attempt to smuggle overseas more than 50 pangolins — a rare, scaly, ant-eating mammal — and are currently questioning three men involved in the operation.

23 May

China - Man Jailed for Three Years for Smuggling Ivory from Japan

A Chinese man in southwest China's Chongqing City was sentenced to three years in prison for smuggling ivory from Japan. The man who worked in Japan during 2008 sold 1,510 grams of ivory worth about 62,900 yuan (around 6,500 Euro) through an online sales website.

23 May

Ghana - Europe and America 'Burying Africa in Electronic Waste'

A report by the Ghana Business News detailing the illegal traffic and hazardous disposal of electronic waste in Ghana and other African countries and the hazards this poses to the populace

22 May

Australia/China - Australia's Electronic Waste Dumped in China

Electronic waste from Australian homes such as old computers, televisions and mobile phones are being dumped in China fueling toxic pollution in the country. According to Australian Customs 12 ships carrying "e-waste" have been intercepted leaving Australia for Asian ports without hazardous materials permits since 2008, including four so far this year.

20 May

Philippines - Officials Seize 3.5 Tonnes of Elephant Tusks

Philippine customs authorities have seized an estimated 3.5 tonnes of elephant tusks from two containers sent from Tanzania, one of the largest such consignments yet found in the country.

15 May

United Kingdom - British Company Fined for Breaching Export Regulations

The company Viridor has been fined £75,000 (around 86,000 Euro) after pleading guilty to five charges of shipping waste to Dubai in breach of the Transfrontier Shipment Regulations.

14 May

Australia - Drug Dealers Turning to Trade in Snakes

Raids by wildlife authorities on properties involved in the illegal trade and breeding of snakes have also discovered drugs and unlicensed firearms. Authorities have linked drug possession, mainly cannabis or pills, to 38 per cent of illegal corn snake cases in the state and to 17 per cent of seized unlicensed firearms and prohibited weapons.

14 May

New Zealand - Contractor Fined for Dumping Industrial Waste

Tatana Contracting Limited (TCL) and director Johnston Tatana were fined $31,000 NZ (approximately 13,700 Euro) for illegally dumping thousands of litres of sludge, wastewater and industrial liquids.

14 May

Vietnam - 100% of Industries Dumping Toxic Waste into Nhue River

Toxic waste inspections, launched after nearly 10 tonnes of dead fish were found along a 2-km stretch of the Nhue River, discovered that 100 per cent of surveyed businesses had discharged toxic waste into the river.

14 May

United Kingdom - Jail for British Tortoise Seller

A 21 year old British man has been jailed for eight months for selling 300 endangered tortoises. After making nearly 40,000 Euro in the space of a year the man has also become the first person in the UK to be given a Serious Crime Prevention Order for three years in connection with the illegal trade in endangered tortoises.

13 May

United States - Yacht Owner Fined $150,000 for Smuggled Exotic Animal Pelts

A U.S. District Court judged has fined the owner of a luxury yacht $150,000 US for the possession of the remains of endangered animals. Among the dozens of remains recovered by investigators from the U.S. Customs and Borders Protection were an African lion's skin, a jaguar pelt, items of carved ivory, and cigarette holders made of python skin.

13 May

United Kingdom - Man Arrested after Golden Eagle Death

A man has been questioned after the discovery of a dead golden eagle by police investigating the illegal trade in rare birds in Europe. This follows the arrest of two men in Belgium by police targeting people who take birds and eggs from the wild to "launder" them into the legitimate market.

13 May

Nepal - Owl Smuggler Arrested

The Nepalese Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) with support from Wildlife Conservation Nepal (WCN) has arrested a man involved in smuggling an Eurasian eagle-owl, an endangered species.

13 May

Ivory Coast - Multinational Company, Owner of the Probo Koala, Sued by Thousands for Dumping Toxic Waste

A report by BBC's Newsnight into 'the biggest toxic dumping scandal of the 21st century;' the dumping of tons of toxic waste in and around Abidjan. The report details the toxicity of the waste dumped and the action now being taken by thousands of those affected to bring the perpetrators to justice.

07 May

India - Cross Over Crime between Wildlife Poachers and Indian Insurgents Demonstrated

The recent arrest of two suspected Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (Multa) militants in Assam has indicated a level of collaboration between rebel outfits and wildlife poachers in the North-East of India. Forest officials said poaching and trade in wildlife parts was high in the insurgency-hit areas of the region. The North-East is one of the major hubs for smuggling wildlife parts because of porous international borders, especially that with Myanmar.

07 May

Uganda - 100 Pieces of Ivory Seized

The Uganda Revenue Authority has seized 100 pieces of ivory weighing 35kg. The ivory was concealed in a sack under a covering of bananas.

05 May

Europe - EU Parliament Passes New Ship Pollution Rules

The European Parliament has backed EU plans to make it a crime for ship owners and operators to pollute the sea. The rules will seek to prevent a recurrence of oil spills off European coastlines that have had dire effects on the environment and will replace a law that an EU court threw out in 2005 on a technicality.

05 May

United States - Two Men Indicted on Federal Charges of Smuggling Birds from Vietnam into the US

A federal grand jury in Los Angeles today indicted two Garden Grove men on charges related to the smuggling of songbirds – including one injurious species – into the United States. The birds were allegedly concealed on one man’s body during at least one trip on a commercial flight from Vietnam.

04 May

United States - Lax Enforcement of Laws Governing the Importing of Wildlife Risks Harming both Ecosystems and People

A report by the Economist detailing the damage caused to indigenous ecosystems and human inhabitants by 'illegal aliens,' foreign wildlife species imported to a country in contravention of laws and regulations. The report details the damage caused by both the accidental and deliberate import of foreign species and their release into the wild.

02 May

Australia - Authorities Crack Egg Smuggling Ring

Australian federal and state wildlife authroities have been engaged in operations aimed at breaking up an international crime syndicate. The group, based in northern Victoria, is making millions of dollars smuggling endangered and exotic bird eggs in and out of the country.

29 April

Russia - Rare Leopard Stolen in Russian Car-Jacking

Police in the city of St Petersburg are searching for a rare missing leopard which was stolen when thieves ambushed a TV producer and drove off in his luxury Mercedes 4x4. The amur leopard is one of the world's most highly endangered species, it is beleived the animal may have been stolen to order.

28 April

Democratic Republic of Congo – Baby Gorilla Rescued from Suspected Traffickers

Undercover officers have rescued a baby gorilla from suspected animal traffickers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The gorilla, thought to be about two years old, was hidden at the bottom of a bag and covered with clothes when Congolese Wildlife Authority officers arrested the suspected trafficker.

27 April

Kenya - Kenyan Wildlife Service Seize 512kg of Ivory

Two men have pleaded guilty to illegal ivory possession in Kenya after one of East Africa’s biggest seizures in recent years, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said. A spokesman for the KWS said the two men, a Kenyan and a Tanzanian, were arrested with 512 kg of elephant tusks near the Kenya-Tanzania border.

24 April

Thailand - Governemt Orders Halt to Elephant Exports

The Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment has announced it will suspend all exports of elephants for five years. This move is to provide time to develop better registration of elephants and ensure exported elephants are from farms rather than the wild. It is hoped this will help to combat poaching of the country's elephants.

24 April

United States - Owner of Korean Commercial Cargo Vessel & Chief Engineer Plead Guilty to Marine Pollution Related Charges

STX Pan Ocean Co. Ltd. (STX), headquartered in Seoul, Korea, and the owner of the commercial cargo ship, M/V Ocean Jade, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy as well as falsifying and failing to properly maintain records meant to ensure compliance with maritime pollution laws. The chief engineer of the M/V Ocean Jade also pleaded guilty today to failing to maintain environmental records and making false statements.

21 April

France - INTERPOL Receives Award in Recognition of Activities to Combat Wildlife and Environmental Crime

The Humane Society of Canada (HSC) today presented INTERPOL with its Heroes for Animals award - the first time an international organization has received the honour which recognizes individuals or organizations for their efforts to protect wildlife

15 April

INDONESIA - Illegal Orangutan Trade on the Rise

A report by TRAFFIC has claimed that more of Idonesia's orangutans are being caught for the pet trade now than since the 1970's. Less than 8,000 Sumatran orangutans remain in the wild.

15 April

United Kingdon - Rare Animal Parts Seized at Port

UK customs officers have seized a lion's skull, pieces of ivory and parts of a giant clam which were being brought into the UK through a Suffolk port. The UK Border Agency found the items in a shipment which arrived at Felixstowe port from South Africa.

14 April

South Africa - Three Separate Convictions for Illegal Wildlife Trading Result in Fines Totalling over 65,000 Euro

South African environmental crime law enforcement officials have secured fines totalling nearly R770 000 (65,608 Euro) in three separate convictions of illegal trade in wildlife. The wildlife being traded was a mixture of live species such as Impala and Kudu alongside products derived from killed animals, such as ivory.

14 April

Malaysia - Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Arrests Five over Bribery in Connection with Illegal Logging

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested five people, including two civil servants, over alleged bribery in connection with illegal logging in the Karak and Bentong forest reserves. If convicted the suspects face a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of RM10,000 or five times the amount of bribery involved.

14 April

United States - Border Patrol Agent Pleads Guilty for Attempting to Receive Protected Leopard Tortoises

A US Border Patrol Agent of Alice, Texas, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Corpus Christi, Texas, to a violation of the Lacey Act for attempting to receive fifteen Tanzanian leopard tortoises that were transported into the United States in violation of a law, regulation or treaty, specifically, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),

13 April

Somalia - Toxic Waste Argued to be behind Somali Piracy

A report that Somalia's pirates, who have recently carried out a number of high-profile hijackings of ships in the Gulf of Aden, are not solely motivated by profits. Some of those involved are now arguing that their actions are motivated by a desire to protect Somalia's coastline and fish-stocks from the dumping of of hazardous wastes and illegal over-fishing.

12 April

Thailand - ASEAN Countries Make Major Progress on Wildlife, Habitat Conservation

At the ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) conference concluded yesterday, Asian governments and international partners made a strong commitments to coordinate enforcement efforts in a concerted effort to halt wildlife crime and habitat depletion.

09 April

Nigeria - 'Serious Contamination' Threat from Africa's Mounting E-Waste

A report, focusing on Nigeria, into the growing problem of hazardous electronic waste exported to Africa. Much of this waste originates from Europe or America where it is expensive to dispose of. It is estimated five hundred containers of second-hand electronics are imported to Nigeria every month. It is also estimated that three-quarters of these imported products are broken beyond repair. These products are often burnt, a process which releases hazardous chemicals, in order to obtain the valuable metals contained within.

8 April

Australia - Illegal Fishing Continues to Devastate Northern Stocks

The Australian Institute of Marine Science says illegal fishing in northern waters is devastating marine life and delicate ecosystems.

6 April

Iran - Caspian's Sturgeon in Danger of Extinction

Over-fishing and smuggling, as well as pollution caused by sewage dumped in the Caspian Sea, have considerably reduced the Sea's Sturgeon stock. Iranian scientists now estimate that Sturgeon could be extinct within 14 years if poaching is not controlled.

6 April

United States - US Environmental Protection Agency Issues Most Wanted List

The US EPA's Most Wanted list, which was created in December, currently names 21 people, including two men charged with smuggling ozone-destroying coolants, who are believed to have fled to Syria; a man charged in Illinois with building a secret pipeline to funnel pollutants into a tributary of the Mississippi River; and a man indicted on charges of dumping contaminated grain into the ocean.

02 April

Malaysia – Customs Intercept 9.5 Tonnes of Smuggled Logs

In their first environmental crime case of this year, the Royal Malaysian Customs and Excise Department have seized 9.5 tonnes of smuggled red sandalwood. The shipment of this rare wood originated in India and is estimated to be worth almost one million Euros. The sandalwood logs were seized from a container declared to be carrying a cargo of conveyor belts and was conducted with the cooperation of the Indian High Commission in Malaysia.

1 April

South Africa – Police Arrest Man Suspected of Slaughtering Lions and Rhinoceroses

South African Police in the capital city of Pretoria have arrested a man suspected of slaughtering endangered species, including lions and rhinoceroses, in his own home. The arrest was made following the discovery of bones and skulls on the property by an inspector from the Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals. South Africa has recently witnessed a surge in rhinoceros killings to meet demand for horns used in some traditional Asian medicines.

25 March

Thailand - Airport Staff to be Trained in Tackling the Illegal Wildlife Trade

Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport is hosting a U.S.-funded training course for airport staff so they can better spot smugglers and prohibited cargo. Most of the animals illegally trafficked in Southeast Asia come from Burma, Indonesia and Malaysia. They then go to markets in China, where exotic meats and parts from animals like the pangolin are considered to have medicinal value.

25 March

Tanzania/Vietnam – Tanzanian Government Begins Investigation into Smuggled Elephant Ivory Recovered in Vietnam

The Tanzanian government has begun an official investigation to determine whether an international poaching and smuggling network is behind the 200 elephant tusks seized by Vietnamese customs at the beginning of March. Early investigations indicated that the container appeared to have been loaded onto a ship in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and transported via Malaysia, before arriving in Vietnam. A spokesman for the Tanzanian Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources vowed that the investigation would spare no-one, even government officials, in its attempt to uncover those responsible.

24 March

United Kingdom - Police Deposit Box Raids Nets £35m

Elephant tusks were among items seized by the British Metropolitan Police in an operation targeting 3,500 safety deposit boxes used by criminal gangs. Officers also recovered guns, drugs and child pornography and arrested 40 people in the course of the raids. A police spokesman said that the operation would have a dramatic global impact on organised criminal gangs. More than 60 officers continue to work on the case which follows an earlier raid on a safe depository business in June.

24 March

Indonesia/International - International police operation co-ordinated by INTERPOL nets alleged leader of wildlife smuggling network

Intensive investigative and surveillance work by Indonesian police officers has resulted in the arrest of an internationally wanted Czech national who is the subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice following his alleged leading role in a wildlife smuggling network in Brazil. This arrest followed INTERPOL’s publication earlier in March of six Red Notices for internationally wanted persons. Their publication was requested by the Brazilian Federal Police in connection with Operation Oxossi, the country’s largest-ever nationwide operation against the illegal hunting and trade in wildlife, led by the Brazilian Federal Police in co-operation with INTERPOL’s Environmental Crime Programme.

15 March

India – NGO Head Calls for Integrated Approach in Combating Wildlife Crime

Staff Reporter - The head of TRAFFIC – India, Samir Sinha, today advocated an integrated approach in tackling wildlife crime which was gaining in dimension every passing year. He described wildlife crime as a “multi-dimensional phenomenon” that required a response at different levels ranging from law enforcement to addressing the livelihood concerns of the forest fringe area inhabitants. He also described wildlife crime as an organised trans-national phenomenon and said that the emerging trends of the crime in the 21st century had confirmed it as a global challenge and made imperative its viewing as a crime against society. He concluded that the response from the authorities to meet the challenge still left a lot to be desired.

15 March

United Kingdom – Environment Agency Targets Cartels Behind Hazardous Waste Dumping

The UK Environment Agency has created a new National Environmental Crime Team dedicated to tackling the growing problem of criminal cartels whicho dump construction waste across the countryside, much of it laced with asbestos and other dangerous or toxic materials. The new team is engaged in discerning dumping patterns, studying detailed intelligence files and creating strategies to target suspects, suspects convicted can expect five years’ imprisonment and may also have their assets seized.

14 March

Tanzania – Suspects Remanded for Illegal Fishing, Document Falsification, Pollution and Degradation of the Marine Environment

Citizens from China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam and Kenya, appeared before a magistrate charged with illegal fishing, pollution and degradation of the marine environment and falsification of documents. The State Attorney told the court that the suspects had illegally caught different species of fish with a total weight of 100 tonnes and were polluting and degrading the marine environment at the scene of the crime.

12 March

United States – Former INTERPOL Pollution Crime Officer Mark Measer to Head EPA’s Criminal Investigation Program in Pacific Northwest

Mark Measer, a 33–year federal law enforcement veteran, has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division in Seattle, Washington, as the Special-Agent-in-Charge. During his time with the US EPA, Mr Measer also served as the INTERPOL Environmental Crime Programme’s Pollution Crime Officer between 2003 and 2007. In his new capacity as the top criminal enforcement official in EPA’s Northwest office, Measer will supervise environmental crimes investigations Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska.

11 March

India / The United Kingdom – New Software to Match Poached Skins to Tigers

A new piece of software is able to identify individual tigers by the unique stripe patterns on their coats and is also able to match skins sold on the black market to animals photographed in the wild. This tool, the developers say, will make it easier to estimate tiger populations and aid conservation efforts. Initially based on software designed to scan the markings of grey seals allowing identification from photographs, the tool has also been adapted for use in identifying other species with unique markings, including leopards, zebras and salamanders.

11 March

Thailand – Thai Authorities Request Australian in Help in Combating Wildlife Crime

Thailand's authorities, including the Minister for Natural Resources and the Environment, are calling on Australia to provide greater financial support and training in the regional fight against the multi-billion dollar illegal wildlife trade. The call for support comes as senior wildlife investigators say Australian criminal gangs are targeting Bangkok's main international airport in the trafficking of birds. The investigation is one of several underway through the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) wildlife enforcement network (ASEAN-WEN) that combines regional police forces with the backing of international law enforcement operations such as INTERPOL.

11 March

Brazil - Brazil Cracks Down on Global Wildlife Smuggling

INTERPOL’s Environmental Crime Programme, has to date resulted in 72 arrests and the seizure of thousands of illegally-held wildlife specimens. Spanning nine Brazilian states and involving 450 Federal Police Officers, Operation Oxossi – which was launched on 11 March – has so far resulted in 102 arrest warrants being issued and 140 search warrants served, as well as more than 3,500 wildlife specimens seized. At the request of Brazilian authorities, Red Notices for internationally wanted persons have also been issued by INTERPOL for six individuals. It is Brazil’s largest wildlife crime law enforcement operation conducted in a decade.

9 March

The Maldives – Maldives Moves to Protect its Sharks

The Maldives government has made the decision to ban reef shark hunting throughout its waters, making the Indian Ocean archipelago the first nation in the region to outlaw the practice. It is planned that he band will be extended in one year's time to include the hunting of oceanic sharks such as tiger sharks and whale sharks. Shark numbers have plummeted in the Maldives in recent years because a significant minority of fishermen target sharks for their lucrative fins, which are used in shark-fin soup, a luxury Asian dish.

7 March

Vietnam – Customs Officials Seize Five Tonnes of Elephant Ivory

Customs Officials have seized five tonnes of elephant ivory smuggled from Tanzania, via Malaysia, in 114 boxes of plastic waste. It is not yet clear if the ivory was intended for sale in Vietnam or was to be trafficked further. Vietnam is believed to have the world’s highest prices for ivory with one kilogram selling for up to 1,500 US Dollars. Although Vietnam outlawed the ivory trade in 1992 shops are still able to sell ivory from before the ban, this allows some to illegally restock with carvings made from recently poached ivory.

2 March

United States – Oldest Sample of Bomb-grade Plutonium Found in Bottle

A bottle discarded at a waste site has been discovered to contain the oldest sample of weapons-grade plutonium created in a nuclear reactor. The sample is a relic from the early days of the United States’ nuclear weapons programme and has been dated to 1944. Scientists used forensics techniques to determine the sample’s age and origin. These forensics techniques are vital in discerning the sources, origins and routes of smuggled nuclear materials, a crime type that is driven by demand and believed to be on the rise.

2 March

Congo - Protecting Mountain Gorillas Diary (Update)

The next update in a series of diaries kept by two wildlife rangers from the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo describing their life and work on the front line of Gorilla preservation. This instalment details the rangers’ joint patrols with their Rwandan colleagues, the birth of a baby Gorilla, and the rangers’ continuing struggles with local militias.

2 March

Zambia – Four Arrested for Trafficking Elephant Ivory and Rhino Horn

The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) has arrested four people, including two police officers, for trafficking 72 pieces of elephant ivory and five pieces of rhino horn estimated to be worth over 140,000 Euro. ZAWA’s director said that poachers would have killed 36 elephants to obtain such a large amount of ivory, though he suspected that the elephants may have been killed in neighbouring countries and not in Zambia. The arrests were made following a tip-off from members of the public.

25 February

United States – Deadliest US Environmental Crime Goes to Trial

Five former executives of W.R. Grace appeared in court for one of the most important environmental crime trials ever filed against a corporation. For 27 years W.R. Grace operated a vermiculite mine in the town of Libby, providing material for insulation, lightweight concrete, and potting soil. However, vermiculite contains the carcinogen asbestos and it is estimated that 1200 inhabitants of Libby have died of asbestos related diseases. Prosecutors charge that W.R. Grace knew as early as 1976 that mine employees were experiencing lung abnormalities, but company executives chose to keep the studies secret, and continued to operate the mine until 1990 and donated asbestos tainted materials to be used in a school running track and ice-rink.

23 February

Endangered Reptiles Saved by Customs and Border Protection

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service has continued its crackdown on wildlife smuggling by arresting a man for allegedly attempting to smuggle 44 native reptiles out of Australia through Sydney International Airport. Included in the seizure of almost 50 animals was one Albino Carpet Python, an extremely endangered species with numbers estimated to be as low as 100, and worth approximately $20,000.

21 February

Poachers Drive Balkan Lynx to Brink of Extinction

The Balkan Lynx, prized as both a national symbol and for its fur, is facing extinction due to illegal poaching. Although hunting lynx is punishable by prison terms of up to eight years, poachers continue to pursue the animal with impunity, knowing that no one has ever been prosecuted for doing so. Experts believe that the species numbers may be less than 100 in the wilds of Macedonia and Albania, with even fewer in Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia.

20 February

Japanese Corporate Operator of Cargo Vessel Sentenced to Pay $1.75 Million for Conspiracy and Falsifying Records

A United States Judge has sentenced the Japanese corporation Hiong Guan Navegacion Japan Co. Ltd. to three years probation and $1.75 million in penalties for conspiring to falsify and falsifying environmental compliance records. Four hundred thousand dollars of the $1.75 million that Hiong Guan must pay will go to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which partners locally with the Pinellas County, Florida., Environmental Fund (PCEF). According to court documents, crew of the commercial cargo ship M/V Balsa-62, operated by the Hiong Guan Navegacion Japan Co. Ltd., used a bypass pipe to circumvent the pollution prevention equipment on board the ship and dump oily water and sludge directly overboard and into the ocean approximately twice a month.

19 February

Man Arrested in Crackdown on E-waste Exports

The Environment Agency’s new national environmental crime unit announced yesterday that a 46-year-old man had been arrested as part of a crackdown on the illegal export of electronic waste from Britain to the developing world.

19 February

Tiger Skulls and Drugs Bound for China Seized in the Indian State of Manipur

A large consignment of animal parts was seized by the Assam Rifles in Manipur's Chandel district on Monday, once again pointing to the the thriving poaching racket that operates in the North-East. It is suspected that the animal parts were being smuggled to South-east Asian markets that have a huge demand for tiger bones and skin. The seized consignment included two tiger skulls, two tiger paws, 16 kg of tiger bones, 340 kg of pangolin shell and 191 deer antlers. Poaching and smuggling of endangered creatures in the region is encouraged by the soaring demand in Tiger parts and the porous borders in the region.

19 February

Shipping Company, Chief Engineer and Second Engineer Indicted for Covering up Pollution

A United States federal grand jury in New Jersey, has returned an eight-count indictment charging a Liberian company that manages an ocean-going bulk carrier vessel, M/V Myron N, along with the ship’s chief engineer and second engineer for covering up discharges of oil-contaminated waste at sea. The indictment alleges that between 2004 and September 2008, Dalnave, and more recently through its two senior engineers on the M/V Myron N, Stamatakis and Papadakis, directed subordinate crew members to use a metal pipe to bypass the ship’s oil water separator and instead discharge the oil-contaminated waste directly overboard.

17 February

Environmental Investigation Agency Warns Black Market in Gases Could Flourish

The Environmental Investigation Agency has warned that a black market in ozone depleting substances could develop and thrive following a Europe wide ban in the substances unless enforcement capabilities and capacities are strengthened and current stockpiles of existing chemicals are accurately assessed.

17 February

Illegal Loggers Utilising Child Labour

The Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society Inc. in Bulacan, the Philippines, has recently documented child labourers who were being used in illegal-logging operations. The minors, some as young as nine years old, were being used to haul the illegally felled timber and charcoal within the Rizal Province of the Philippines.

16 February

Ivory Trade Hits Asia's Elephants

The illegal ivory trade in Vietnam is threatening the survival of South East Asia's dwindling elephant population with fewer than 150 elephants believed to be left in the wild in Vietnam. Ivory prices in Vietnam are the highest in the world encouraging tones of ivory products to be transported through Vietnam every year.

14 February

France – Seizure of 33 Smoked Animals Carcasses

During a routine vehicle search, French Customs Officers discovered 33 smoked animal carcasses originating from Central Africa and destined to be re-sold, some in France and some in Switzerland. Among the remains found were three Boa Constrictors, three monkeys, and 22 porcupines, all protected species. The case has now been passed to the Prosecutor’s office. Note: Original article in French.

13 February

Man Arrested for Smuggling Coral

A German national was arrested in Virginia, the United States, for attempting to smuggle 40 tons of coral illegally harvested in the Philippines.

8 February

Malaysian Customs join ‘Green Customs’ Initiative

The Malaysian Customs authorities have joined an initiative set up by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) alongside INTERPOL, the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This is a global initiative to encourage customs authorities to take part in protecting the environment, by placing those who smuggle flora, fauna and toxic waste across borders on the top of their priority lists.

6 February

9 Tiger Deaths in 3 Months in Indian National Park

Following the disappearance of large numbers of tigers from Sariska National Park at the end of 2008, authorities at Kaziranga National Park have recently confirmed the deaths of nine big cats in the past three months. This represents the highest casualty figures recorded in a national park over such a brief period.

5 February

EU Laws to protect endangered ‘Jaws’

The European Commission has unveiled measures aimed at protecting sharks, many of which are in sharp decline. The proposals would close loopholes in current shark finning regulations, cut catches of endangered species and set quotas according to scientific advice.

5 February

Exotic animals trapped in net of Mexican drug trade

Leaders of Mexican drug gangs are contributing to the illegal trade in endangered wildlife by keeping exotic pets in private zoos and show off rarities such as turtle skin boots. They also enter into partnerships with wildlife smuggling groups by sharing smuggling routes into the mainland United States.

3 February

Pigeons found down traveller's trousers

An Australian man was arrested in Melbourne, returning from Dubai, after being discovered with two live birds strapped to his legs. He was also discovered to be transporting undeclared eggs and seeds. Although not endangered, the transport of these pigeons represents a breach of Australia’s quarantine laws against the import of foreign flora and fauna.

3 February

Harvesting Trees to Make Ecstasy

A special report detailing the damage done to endangered flora and fauna in Cambodia by the production of Ecstasy. The main raw material for ecstasy, safrole, is extracted from various plants and trees in the form of safrole-rich oils—also known as sassafras oil. The production of these oils has severely depleted trees from which it is extracted, giving rise to warnings that unless production is curbed by effective law enforcement the species may become extinct in the near future.

2 February

Global CITES operation nets over 4500 endangered species in one day

Approximately 10,000 Customs officers together with the World Customs Organization’s (WCO) 11 Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices (RILO) participated in a global exercise at the request of the WCO Secretariat in the lead up to International Customs Day on 26 January 2009 which was dedicated to the theme: “Customs and the environment: protecting our natural heritage”. This one day operation, coordinated by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and carried out by 90 Customs administrations around the world, resulted in the seizure of 4,630 examples of protected wildlife alongside their products and derivatives.

30 January

Protecting Mountain Gorillas in the Congo (Update)

The next update in a series of diaries kept by two wildlife rangers from the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo describing their life and work on the front line of Gorilla preservation.

29 January

Britain Warned by EU over Air Quality

The European Commission has warned that Britain may face court action due to its failure to comply with European Union standards on air quality. The directive, which came into effect in June 2008, aims to limit airborne particles produced by industry, traffic and domestic heating and can cause asthma, heart problems, lung cancer and premature death.

28 January

Provide more resources to fight global environmental crime, EIA tells governments

TO MARK International Customs Day, the Environmental Investigation Agency today challenges governments to provide adequate resources to police, customs and enforcement agencies throughout the world to follow up ‘green’ rhetoric with real commitment and to tackle the growing threat of organised crime against the environment.

25 January

Wildlife experts suspect cartels take advantage of ineffective law enforcement

Government officials and private landowners in South Africa have confirmed a massive increase in rhino poaching over the past year, raising fears of a wildlife killing spree similar to those decimating reserves in neighbouring countries. Wildlife experts suspect sophisticated poaching cartels taking advantage of ineffective law enforcement may be one of the main reasons for this increase.

23 January

Diary: Protecting Mountain Gorillas in the Congo

Two wildlife rangers from the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo describe their life and work on the front line of Gorilla preservation. Their agency has recently been affected by the conflict in the region, which has claimed the lives of not only the endangered Gorillas, but also one of their rangers Safari Kakule in an attack by the rebel Mai Mai militia.

23 January

The Environment Strikes Back

Police in Nigeria are holding a goat handed to them by a vigilante group, which said it was a car thief who had used witchcraft to change shape.

21 January

Workshops on Ecological Protection Launched

The Qatar Ministry of Environment in partnership with the United States Environment Protection Agency has recently hosted a three day workshop on ecological protection. The event was attended by officials from other Gulf countries and Jordan. The event was inaugurated by the Qatari Minister or Environment, H. E Abdullah bin Mubarak bin Aboud Al Madahiaboud, Joseph Evan LeBaron, and was hailed by the US Ambassador, who praised Qatar’s contributions towards environmental protection in the region.

19 January

Vietnam’s Environmental Police record largest-ever seizure of wildlife products

Vietnam’s Environmental Police in Hanoi have seized the largest ever quantity of wildlife products following the recovering of over two tonnes of bones, including those from Tigers, from a store in the capital. The case is the latest in a string of major seizures, and reflects Hanoi’s improved enforcement capacity since the Environmental Police were established a division of the Hanoi Police Department in 2007.

15 January

Record seizures of illegally trafficked animal products

Last year Customs Officers in Dubai seized a record number of animal products, including furs, stuffed animals and ivory goods. A total of 145 items were seized representing a 20% increase from 2007.

14 January

Chilean Navy seize ‘Noah’s Ark’ of illegally smuggled animals

Chilean Naval patrol vessel from the port of Arica spotted a boat leaving port with it’s lights off. When the naval authorities checked for registration documents, the crew discovered what they described as a ‘Noah’s Ark’ of smuggled exotic animals, most from the Amazon. (Video)

13 January

European MPs vote to tighten pesticide controls

The European Parliament has voted to tighten rules on pesticide use and ban at least 22 chemicals deemed harmful to human health. The rules are expected to be approved by the 27 member states' governments.

13 January

Greek-based Ship Operator Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Records

A Greek-based commercial shipping company has been fined $1.3 million , a $1,600 special assessment, three years probation, and been ordered to implement an Environmental Compliance Plan by a United States District Judge. The falsified document related to the improper management and disposal of oily waste and ballast from one of the company’s cargo ships. Both US Federal Laws and International Laws require ships to comply with certain pollution regulations regarding the proper handing and disposal of oil contaminated materials.

12 January

Democratic Republic of Congo – Gorilla Ranger killed

A wildlife ranger has paid the ultimate price in the effort to protect endangered mountain gorillas in Democratic Republic of Congo. Ranger Safari Kakule was killed by a rebel forces during an attack on the evening of January 8 in the country’s Virguna National Park.

9 January

International Police Group to tackle Asian smuggling routes

The ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) is launching a new International Police Group, involving the INTERPOL Environmental Crime Programme and senior investigators from six countries, to tackle the illegal trade in pangolins and big cats.

6 January

USA – Marine protection zone for Pacific islands

The US is to announce plans to protect 500,000 sq km (190,000 sq miles) of sea around the Pacific islands. Commercial fishing and mining will be banned in the area, which includes some of the most biologically diverse marine life in the world.

6 January

Argentina – Threats to the world's largest parrot colony

A colony of some 180,000 burrowing parrots is increasingly at threat from illegal traders, a booming tourism industry and encroaching agriculture.

6 January

Fourth pipeline facility bombed in British Colombia - Person responsible for attacks a brazen amateur, eco-terrorism expert says

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have described as ‘deliberate’ an explosion at an EnCana Coroporation gasline in British Colombia. This brings the total of number of such attacks to four in three months. An Eco-terrorism expert has suggested that the attacks may be being carried out by an individual or a small tightly knit group and may have the support of the local community frustrated by what they see as the destruction of their land by gas facilities.

2 January

Brazil – Clamping down on wildlife trafficking

Authorities in Brazil have launched a public awareness campaign to highlight the problem of trafficking in wildlife. Around 50,000 animals are rescued each year – a fraction of the numbers believed to be trafficked.

2 January

Inside the World of ‘Wildlife CSI’

The Department of of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), alongside the World Wildlife Fund, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is to provide UK Police with their first forensics unit dedicated to wildlife crime. The team will use these techniques to establish if samples have come from endangered species and aim to secure prosecutions of the ringleaders of smuggling operations, not just the smugglers themselves.

Last modified on 27 Aug 2009

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