9 February 2010
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Wildlife crime is the taking, trading, exploiting or possessing of the world’s wild flora and fauna in contravention of national and international laws. In wildlife crime the direct victim is the plant or animal that is exploited, rather than an individual or group of people. As such, people often do not become aware of the crime until the individual offences accumulate and leave the survival of a species in danger. It is often only then that people become concerned about the crime and its impact upon them.
The beginning of 2006 saw the appointment of a fulltime desk-officer at INTERPOL to manage the wildlife crime programme, which continues to expand its activities in co-operation with INTERPOL’s Environmental Crime Committee. Within this framework, the INTERPOL Wildlife Crime Working Group helps co-ordinate the exchange of information between member countries and supports domestic law enforcement operations.
A number of project teams lead the efforts of the Programme and Working Group in specific areas of wildlife crime and develop relevant law enforcement initiatives.
To enhance the ASEAN-WEN’s capacity and capabilities with regard to intelligence management, investigative actions and operational activities.
To identify ways and methods to improve the flow and exchange of information between National Central Bureaus, Wildlife Enforcement Agencies and the INTERPOL General Secretariat. Project leader – Ben Janse Van Rensburg
To stimulate the submission of Ecomessages (a uniform message for reporting intelligence data) to INTERPOL.
First established over five years ago, this Project supported Operation Baba in 2008. The Project Group has reconvened and is supporting INTERPOL’s Project Oasis over the next three years by conducting operations and training in Africa. Project leader – Ken Maggs
To establish and encourage the communication, co-operation and collaboration of specialists in the field of wildlife forensics and law enforcement officers requiring wildlife forensics services or expertise, and to provide complementary services, materials and activities. Project leader – David Higgins
To assist member countries in gathering and disseminating important information from members of the public who wish to report an environmental crime. The project will focus initially on the creation of a simple and useable web page that will allow members of the public to report relevant information. The Project is supported by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Washington.
To direct the activities of the Wildlife Crime Working Group in a strategic manner. It will explore the development of future initiatives, assess the needs of the wider international community, and review the Working Group’s strengths and weaknesses.
To co-ordinate efforts in obtaining funding for the various activities of the Wildlife Crime Working Group and/or the Wildlife Crime Sub-Programme. Project leader – Subsak Chavalvivat
To lead and co-ordinate countries in conducting global operations targeting wildlife crime. Project leader – Brian Stuart
To develop links and networks for wildlife prosecutors to exchange ideas, seek advice and share knowledge.
This manual will provide enforcement officers with information about techniques used in smuggling wildlife and best practice concerning interception of such smuggling.
Established at the request of CITES, this Project aims to produce a questioning guide to aid law enforcement officers when they are investigating wildlife smuggling incidents. The Project is nearing completion and the final product will be published in early 2010.
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