Key learning points

1. Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is often considered to be a low-risk, high-reward crime attractive to legitimate wildlife traders, opportunists and organised crime groups, including transnational organised criminal networks.
2. The illegal trade has serious negative impacts on sustainable development as well as violence and conflict, national security and public health.
3. Financial institutions, transport companies and animal-based businesses face reputational, legal, financial and security risks related to the illegal movement of wildlife.
4. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) provides a strong international framework to prevent or limit the trade in endangered wildlife. However, domestic wildlife trafficking laws are often weak, vague, poorly unenforced or all three. This opens up opportunities for corrupt officials and businesses to subvert the laws for personal gain.
5. The wildlife trafficking supply chain includes poachers, brokers/runners, intermediaries and dealers, exporters and importers, wholesale traders and retailers.
6. Legal and illegal supply chains merge at multiple points, often facilitated by criminals acting in both the legal and illegal spheres.
7. There are corruption vulnerabilities at every stage of the supply chains, from purchasing information and access to protected areas, to falsifying documents and using bribes to escape justice.
8. Organised crime groups are involved at all stages of the supply chain and quickly adapt to law enforcement efforts; this means businesses cannot rely solely on law enforcement to protect them from illegal wildlife trade risks.
9. Individuals engaged in legal wildlife-based businesses such as zoos, vets and traders have the potential to play an oversized role in helping to launder illegal wildlife products into the supply chain.  Crimes include document fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, non-compliance with safety and hygiene regulations, wire fraud and mis-invoicing.
10. Companies can engage with a variety of international organisations, partnerships and Collective Action initiatives to help them address their risks of being caught up in illegal wildlife trade and related crimes.