CITES Management Authorities issue documentation required to export and import the most protected and most valuable species, using the criteria described above to determine whether a species can be legally traded. In some cases, corrupt individuals within CITES Management Authorities take advantage of their position to sell fraudulent documentation to traffickers, and may even actively participate in wildlife trafficking networks.

High-value species such as chimpanzees and gorillas, as well as orcas, elephants and tigers, have been imported and exported on fraudulent documentation provided by corrupt members of CITES Management Authorities.

The high value of bribes and low risk of detection or prosecution provide significant incentive for officials to engage in wildlife crime.