Organized environment crime is on the rise, with international crime groups making fortunes out of environment and wildlife.
Organised environment crime includes among others, illegal logging, ivory poaching and trade in tiger parts. Such illegal trade has become so rampant that they should be classified in the same category as drugs, human trafficking, gun crime and money laundering
The reach of such groups surpasses any international boundary; the gangs are responsible for stripping rainforests, slaughtering animals and impoverishing local communities.
The reason or such a galloping illegal trade is weak law enforcement, which is easily exploited by such groups and an added advantage stands if the organizers are corrupt themselves, who help them to carry out their illicit money-spinning activities.
Environment Investigation Agency (EIA), committed to investigating and exposing environmental crimes around the world, recently revealed the details of its investigation at The Hague for the Convention on International trade in Endangered Species, comprising of 170 countries.
In its report, ‘Upholding the law: The challenge of effective enforcement’, the EIA says that poor law enforcement and failure to provide resources to clampdown on crime by the related countries is responsible for such a sorry state of affairs.
Environmental and wildlife crime is seen as a high-profit, low-risk criminal activity. For example, the ivory haul was caught at Singapore, but most of the guilty are still at large.
Another burning example comes in the form of increased trade in Asian big cats, supposedly protected by trade bans. Yet prohibited leopard and snow leopard skins are openly available in China and Tibet.
The EIA recommends that strict laws need to be not only formulated but also implemented. World must pay heed to the increasing wildlife crime, therefore, more ‘intelligence-led’ investigation to be initiated to detect criminal networks. Enhanced regional collaboration between enforcement bureau and Border Liaison Offices established by the UN Convention against Transnational organized Crime.
Illegal rackets must be busted and CITES members ought to invest in the right kind of enforcement if we are to effectively combat the illegal trade in tigers and other big cats.
Image
Via: Telegraph.co.uk