Case Closed? Why We Should Review Historic Wildlife Trafficking Cases from a Financial Perspective

Alexandria Reid, Tom Keatinge, ’Case Closed? Why We Should Review Historic Wildlife Trafficking Cases from a Financial Perspective’, RUSI Newsbrief, March 2020.

It is a sad fact that, even today, enforcement action against the illegal wildlife trade (IWT) usually begins and ends with a seizure of illegal wildlife products. Financial investigations – routine for other serious crimes – are seldom undertaken for IWT. In recent years, a growing consensus has emerged that financial approaches need to be mainstreamed into all IWT investigations. This includes not just the identification of illegally acquired assets and the possibility of forfeiture, but the use of financial intelligence in ongoing investigations.

Promisingly, many countries have shown a willingness to embed these techniques in their investigative procedures. But what these states often lack is the resources, knowledge and experience of inter-agency cooperation to put this enthusiasm into practice. Here, locally tailored, interactive and evidence-based capacity-building assistance is key.

Based on a recent exercise in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, this publication explores the value of revisiting historic wildlife cases from a financial perspective.

Access the PDF here.