Smuggled wildlife products seized in Italy: international co-operation is key to tackling such crime Click photo to enlarge © Marco Fiori, Corpo Forestale dello Stato   VIENNA, Austria, November 2009— Representatives from the secretariats of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), INTERPOL, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) held their first-ever joint meeting in Vienna to design a strategy intended to prevent and combat the illegal trade in wild animals and plants.

Officials from the World Bank also took part in the meeting (17-18 November), reflecting the growing appreciation of the substantial criminal financial gains associated with illegal trade and the involvement of money-laundering.

Wildlife crime takes many forms and the high value of wildlife products, ranging from caviar to timber, makes illegal trade extremely profitable, generating millions of dollars each year whilst impoverishing local communities.

Organized criminal groups are associated with this trade and the wildlife law enforcement community faces daily challenges including heavily-armed poaching gangs, threats, harassment and bribery attempts.

Willem Wijnstekers, Secretary-General of CITES, said “I am delighted that these major international bodies are coming together in an example that I hope will be followed in due course at national and regional levels.”

INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble said “The threat posed by wildlife crime is often underestimated by the wider public and also by law enforcement. This meeting will provide a strong platform for all of us to identify key areas where national and international organization can better work together to address gaps in responses and develop solutions.”

Secretary General of the WCO, Kunio Mikuriya, commented “The WCO appreciates and fully supports the initiative to set up a strategic blueprint that will lay the ground for a co-ordinated approach to curb this global menace.”

The anticipated outcome of the meeting will be a comprehensive strategy document that will be submitted for endorsement to policy-makers and senior management of the four international agencies.