CONVENTION on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) says Interpol has now established capacity to help combat wildlife crime linked to the internet.
According to CITES, the decision to engage Interpol was adopted at CoP17 in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2016 were it directed its secretariat to invite Interpol to consider establishing capacity, at the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore, to support the efforts of Parties to combat such crimes, and to develop guidelines for Parties on how to combat wildlife crime linked to the Internet more effectively.
In a statement, CITES revealed that Interpol has established the required capacity and countries should engage it for help in combating wildlife crime linked to the internet.
“The Secretariat is pleased to inform Parties that Interpol established such capacity at the Interpol Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) in Singapore.
“Parties requiring investigative support, criminal intelligence analysis support, or advice and guidance on how to address wildlife crime linked to the Internet, are encouraged to reach out to Interpol,” said the statement.
CITES added that national agencies responsible for wildlife law enforcement are encouraged to get in touch with their Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) to request support for the investigation of wildlife crime linked to the Internet from the INTERPOL IGCI in Singapore.
The CITES Secretariat also took the opportunity to inform Parties that Interpol is finalizing the development of Guidelines on how to combat wildlife crime linked to the Internet, as anticipated by Decision 17.93, paragraph d). These guidelines include matters such as the basic concepts of online crime investigations, open-source investigations, and the gathering, requesting and preservation of evidence, and will provide a practical tool to law enforcement officers on how to investigate cases of wildlife crime linked to the Internet.
