Transnational Organized Crime and the Illegal Wildlife Trade

Jorge Eduardo RiosCoordinator, UNODC Anti-Wildlife and Forest Crime Programme

ADB Symposium on Combating Wildlife Crime10 March 2013

What is a transnational organized crime? United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime

A structured group of three or more persons In order to obtain financial or material benefit These crimes are planned/committed in more

than one country Acting together with the aim of committing one

or more serious crime (max. deprivation of 4 years)

Thank you!

Jorge Eduardo Rios

UNODC Anti-Wildlife and Forest Crime Programme

Jorge.rios@unodc.org

Trafficking in elephant ivory• January 2013: Hong Kong

Customs seized 779 tusks (1,000 kg, worth $1.5m), smuggled by sea from Kenya via Malaysia.

• September 2011: Malaysia Customs seized 695 tusks originated in Tanzania and directed to China.

Trafficking in rhino horns

• November 2011. Hong Kong Customs seized 33 horns from South Africa, directed to China or Vietnam

What drives this trade?

• High demand (ornament, traditional medicines, status) wealthy markets in Asia, Europe, USA, Middle East

• No stigma associated to consumption• Low risk of detection and conviction, low penalties • High revenues for the traders:• Poverty and lack of alternative livelihoods

drives poaching in countries of origin

Who are the smugglers?

• Various nationalities involved• Traders with specialized knowledge• Large use of middlemen/facilitators• Poachers are often occasional actors• Underground role of retailers• Complicit public officials

How is the smuggling conducted?

• Trans-boundary in nature• Not one mafia, but many networks• Highly dynamic and competitive• Sophisticated concealment and disguise techniques• Increasing role of internet• High level corruption (white-collar crime)

Benefits of considering wildlife crime a “serious” crime?

• Higher level of penalties acting as deterrent (wildlife crime is a low risk/high profit-crime)

• Higher level of convictions• Increased sophistication of investigative techniques (electronic

surveillance e.g. telephone tapping) • Increased level of international cooperation (both law

enforcement and judiciary)

Conclusions

• Illegal Wildlife Trade is a transnational organized crime• Wildlife Crime has to be considered as a serious crime• Adequate legislation, highly trained judiciary and

prosecution are required• Front line officers need support• transnational organized crime requires a coordinated

transnational response--International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC)