Countering organised wildlife trafficking: insights from law enforcement personnel on challenges and opportunities

Abstract Wildlife trafficking represents a significant and complex form of organised crime. This study aimed to understand the challenges and opportunities related to countering organised wildlife trafficking, based on the perceptions of wildlife law enforcement personnel and other experts. Interviews were conducted with 112 individuals working to counter wildlife trafficking in South Africa, Hong Kong, and Canada, and several additional relevant jurisdictions. Interviewees reported the use of organised crime tactics by wildlife traffickers, including money laundering, corruption, violence, marketing, countersurveillance, and compartmentalisation. Despite this, many interviewees often felt unsupported by their governments and expressed concerns that the issue is inadequately prioritised, under-resourced, and under-staffed. Wildlife law enforcement agencies face a multitude of barriers to sharing information and collaborating within and outside of their borders, including legal barriers, bureaucracy, politics, ego, trust, fear, and a lack of will/interest among supporting law enforcement agencies. Interviewees also noted that there is often a reluctance to conduct complex advanced investigations into wildlife trafficking syndicates. Significant changes to law enforcement organizational culture and broader systemic changes are required to more effectively combat the innovative strategies of wildlife traffickers.