“Lyon, France – A new INTERPOL report has underlined the need for greater operational and investigative responses to the highly lucrative illicit tiger trade if the species is to avoid extinction.

With both small-scale opportunistic criminals and organized crime networks using constantly changing tactics and more innovative and sophisticated methods to avoid detection, the report by INTERPOL’s Environmental Security unit says law enforcement efforts need to keep pace with the evolving nature of wildlife crime.

The ‘Assessment of Enforcement Responses to Tiger Crime’ report also highlights the need for a network of intelligence analysts from tiger range countries to develop a plan for consistent, transparent and effective information management in relation to international wildlife trafficking.

To this end, a four-day meeting with analysts from tiger range countries and other international specialists will be held at the General Secretariat headquarters in Lyon in May. In addition to sharing information on Asian big cat crime, the meeting is also aimed at identifying areas where INTERPOL can support countries in strengthening intelligence management to develop a cohesive global strategy to more effectively tackle the criminal networks behind tiger crimes.”

Source: Interpol

To read the full press release, click HERE.