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Ecomessage

Ecomessage. ECENA 1 st Plenary Meeting Januari 19-20, 2006 Zagreb Henk Ruessink Environmental Inspectorate Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment The Netherlands. Current Problems with environmental crime. Environmental crime is billion $/€ international business,

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Ecomessage

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  1. Ecomessage ECENA 1st Plenary Meeting Januari 19-20, 2006 Zagreb Henk Ruessink Environmental Inspectorate Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment The Netherlands

  2. Current Problemswith environmental crime • Environmental crime is billion $/€ international business, • People, animals, ecosystems are faced with (severe) negative effects, • Law enforcement authorities have inadequate information concerning the size, structure & dynamics of (international) environmental crime, • There is inadequate communication and cooperation between environmental law enforcement agencies world-wide.

  3. Ecomessageis Interpol’s reporting system for environmental crime Ecomessage covers • Illegal transborder movements & illegal dumping of wastes and ODS, • Vessel pollution, • Illegal transborder activities involving radioactive substances, • Illegal trafficking in wild flora and fauna

  4. Ecomessageis official Interpol policy • Interpol circular letter, reference 38/DII/SD2/E/INT/WG/2/ENV/94 • Of 9 June 1994, • outlines the responsibilities of NCBs to transmit Ecomessages to the Interpol General Secretariat

  5. Ecomessagecollects data that can be: • Analyzed to define the size, structure and dynamics of syndicates involved in international environmental crime, and • Alert and request assistance from law enforcement agencies in other Interpol-member countries, and • Cross-referenced within Interpol’s database to identify any links between an active case and prior criminality.

  6. Major ivory seizureGood example of Ecomessage subject

  7. Ecomessage Data I • There have been 313 Ecomessages filed since 2000. • Most of these have been wildlife offenses involving: • Elephants & ivory 85 • Protected wildlife skins 57 • Reptiles 33 • Caviar 26 • Traditional Oriental Medicines 25

  8. Most Common Contraband

  9. Ecomessage Data II • There were approximately 800 Ecomessages filed before 2000. • Of these, the largest single commodity was elephant ivory, figuring in about 200 Ecomessages • Thus, the current total of Ecomessages should be about 1,113, of which about 285 should involve elephant ivory.

  10. Smuggling Techniques • 70 Luggage • 45 Freight • 22 Containers • 15 Postal and Express Delivery Mails • 7 Residential • 6 Concealed in vehicles

  11. Indonesia China South Africa Tanzania Thailand India Netherlands Malaysia Afghanistan Peru Countries of Origin/Provenance In ten or more cases:

  12. Czech Republic Netherlands Canada Russia Belgium United Arab Emirates Italy Spain USA Tanzania Destinations

  13. Transit Countries • Netherlands • Germany • Turkey • China • Kenya • Czech Republic

  14. CAVEATS.... • Data presented is NOT statistically valid! • The Ecomessage database is still much too small to be the basis of serious analysis  we need more !

  15. Current Initiatives • Efforts are being made to stimulate submission of Ecomessages for both pollution and wildlife offenses. • INECE is sponsoring distribution of Ecomessage information to pollution control agencies. • IFAW is sponsoring the publishing and distribution of Ecomessage information to wildlife agencies.

  16. Ecomessage • Brochure • Provides: • Information about Ecomessage • Instructions for completing forms and filing with Interpol • Copies of Ecomessage forms • Examples of Ecomessges • Produced in • Arabic • English • French • Spanish • Hard Copy & CD versions

  17. Ecomessage Award • Wildlife Only • U.S. $30,000 award • Presented as law enforcement training or law enforcement equipment (no cash!) • Criteria established by Interpol’s Working Group on Wildlife Crime • Presented for a CITES Intersessional Period • Sponsored by IFAW

  18. Your Participation is Important • Criminal syndicates are damaging the biosphere for their profit. • These syndicates can be stopped only once law enforcement learns their vulnerabilities and modes of operation. • These can be identified by analysis of Ecomessage data.

  19. Thanks To: • Bill Clark • Interpol • ... • And!

  20. Australia Belgium Botswana Canada Chile Colombia Czech Republic Djibouti Egypt Germany Hong Kong, China India Israel Italy Japan Kenya Namibia Netherlands New Zealand Peru Rwanda Singapore Slovenia South Africa Sweden Switzerland Thailand Tanzania Uganda United Kingdom United States Zimbabwe Ecomessage Countries!

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