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Originally published by INTERPOL and WCO . Operation Thunder 2023: 2,114 seizures of endangered animals and timber in major international law enforcement operation Endangered animals including elephants, rhinos and pangolins, as well as protected timber, particularly tropical hardwoods, have been seized in a joint INTERPOL - World Customs Organization (WCO) operation to stop wildlife and timber trafficking. From 2 – 27 October, customs and police officers coordinated some 500 arrests worldwide and more than 2,000 confiscations of animals and plants

ICCWC at SC77 Exploring the importance of illegal trade data, evidence-based interventions and enhanced responses in the fight against wildlife crime Over the past week, a number of global wildlife trade issues concerning a variety of wildlife species have been discussed at the 77th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Standing Committee (SC77), held in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting provided an opportunity for the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime

The International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime launches Biannual Report 2021 - 2022 19 June 2023 The International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) has launched its Biannual Report for 2021 – 2022, highlighting the successes and achievements of countries supported by ICCWC Partners in combating wildlife and forest crime. Read it here. Countries have made good strides in the battle against wildlife crime. The report highlights the work conducted to support law enforcement authorities across the globe to better

On 24 – 28 April 2023 the CITES Secretariat (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) convened a meeting of the CITES Big Cats Task Force in Entebbe, Uganda, to strengthen responses to the global illegal trade in big cats. Over 70 representatives from 28 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America and representatives from the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), other international inter-governmental, Regional Wildlife Enforcement Networks and

Hundreds of arrests, thousands of seizures and the disruption of wildlife and timber crime networks have taken place globally in 125 countries. Codenamed “Thunder 2022", the joint law enforcement operation coordinated by INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO) and with the backing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), brought together police, customs, financial intelligence units and national bodies responsible for combating

Bangkok, Thailand, 14 February, 2012 Executive Director of INTERPOL's Police Service Leaders of the Customs and Police authorities of the tiger range States Representatives of the Host Country Colleagues from the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime Distinguished participants " Our collective enforcement efforts to fight tiger crime must not just result in seizures - they must result in prosecutions, convictions and strong penalties to stop the flow of contraband. If we get the entire enforcement system right for the

For use of the media only; not an official document. Bangkok (Thailand), 14 February 2012 - Police and customs heads from 13 Asian countries agreed today to tighten controls and improve cross-border cooperation to curb the illegal smuggling of tigers and other critically endangered species. The accord came at the conclusion of the two-day international "Heads of Police and Customs Seminar on Tiger Crime", which brought together top Police and Customs Officers from countries that still have tigers living in

A group photo of the participants to the workshop (click to enlarge) Organized by the World Customs Organization (WCO), under the auspices of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), the first international workshop on Establishing a Network of Controlled Delivery Units for Forest and Wildlife Law Enforcement ended on 9 December, after three days of deliberation. Controlled deliveries have long been a tool for investigating drug and tobacco smuggling but their use in wildlife smuggling is more recent

During its meeting in Vienna, from 11-15 April 2011, the United Nations’ Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice adopted a Resolution on “Crime prevention and criminal justice responses against illicit trafficking in endangered species of wild fauna and flora” which was proposed by Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico and the Philippines. Organized criminal networks are known to be involved in the poaching of rhinoceroses, as one example of illicit trafficking in endangered species. The Resolution ( full text attached)

ICCWC begins its work The Senior Experts Group of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) met last week at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna, Austria. Opened by Mr Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of UNODC, the meeting provided an opportunity for specialized staff of the five partner agencies to plan ICCWC activities in the short and mid-term. Experts agreed to develop a comprehensive programme of work. This programme will exploit the expertise of