Wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic has revealed that police in the Philippines have arrested a major illicit wildlife trader who had evaded authorities in the country for a number of years.
A joint “buy-bust operation” conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation-Environmental Crime Division (NBI-EnCD) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Philippine Operation Group on Ivory and Illegal Wildlife Trade (DENR-POGI) resulted in the detention of the man, who is said to have had traded wildlife online without the required permits.
As well as arresting the trader, investigators seized several animals, including three Peregrine Falcons, two Eclectus Parrots, six African Spurred Tortoises and two Green Iguanas.
The man, who the NBI had been pursuing for three years, is reported to have gone to great lengths to avoid capture, cancelling deals with online customers if he became suspicious that they might be linked to law enforcement authorities.
Trading wildlife online since 2014, the man would refuse to meet his customers in person, and only dealt with those whom he had developed long term relationships.
He is now expected to face a range of charges relating to the possession and trading of wildlife products that carry a maximum jail term of four years and a fine of up to PHP300,000 ($843).
Kanitha Krishnasamy, Traffic’s Director for Southeast Asia, commented: “Catching illegal online traders is like trying to snatch shadows, so this is a big win for the Philippine authorities, and we congratulate them.
“This case should also serve as motivation for all Southeast Asian wildlife enforcement agencies that are grappling with the scourge of online wildlife trafficking.
“Persistence does pay off. Traffic hopes this case will make others think twice about trading wildlife online illegally.”
In August, Traffic published a report that highlighted the role the internet plays in the illicit trade in wildlife products.
The study, which focussed on China’s experiences of attempting to crack down on the online sale of such items, examined the policies and measures used to address wildlife cybercrime in the EU, Kenya, the US, and several key international associations.
“Due to the transnational nature of illegal wildlife trade, efforts to combat it on the internet should not be limited to China and its cyberspace,” the report said.
“As early as 2013, monitoring of online advertising of illegal ivory products targeted at EU countries revealed illegal ivory advertisements and online auctions of ivory worth more than a €1 million $1.12 million) in 10 EU countries.
“In recent years, more cases of illegal wildlife trade online have been reported around the world. These new features raise new challenges in enhancing law enforcement.
“Preliminary research published by INTERPOL in June 2017 also revealed that illicit wildlife trade is ‘infiltrating’ into the dark net.”
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