The issues

Environmental criminals pose a grave threat to our everyday lives, our planet and to future generations. Borders do not restrict environmental crimes, which range from ivory trafficking and overfishing of protected species, to illegal logging and the dumping of hazardous waste.

The same routes used to smuggle wildlife across countries and continents are often used to traffic weapons, drugs and people. Indeed, environmental crime often occurs hand in hand with other offences such as passport fraud, corruption, money laundering and even murder.

Unlike the illegal trade in drugs and other illicit goods, natural resources are finite and cannot be replenished in a lab. As such, there is a sense of urgency to combat environmental crime.