The Trafficking of Pangolin Scales Must Be Tackled as a Transnational Organised Crime Says New Report From the Wildlife Justice Commission

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Feb. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Scaling Up: The Rapid Growth in the Industrial Scale Trafficking of Pangolin

Scales (2016-2019) has been published today on the run up to World Pangolin Day

The Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) has released today, on the run up to

Pangolin Day, the report Scaling Up: The Rapid Growth in the Trafficking of

Pangolin Scales (2016-2019) (1). The report highlights that this large-scale

trafficking, which is driving the species to the brink of extinction, must be

addressed as a transnational organised crime and that we must use advanced

investigative techniques to effectively tackle it.

The report combines the analysis of reported seizure data between 1 January

2016 to 31 December 2019 and the WJC's own investigative findings to build a

comprehensive understanding of the criminal dynamics and trends on the

transnational trafficking of pangolin scales. The WJC focuses its

investigations and intelligence on the trafficking of scales as it is most

vulnerable to organised criminality. The scales are sought as component of

traditional Chinese medicine, despite there being no scientific evidence of

there being any medicinal value.

The analysis puts the spotlight on the trafficking to identify prolific

countries (including the disproportional involvement of Nigeria and Vietnam),

smuggling routes, shipping methods and the street value of pangolin scales. The

analysis shows a significant and rapid increase in the volume being trafficked,

facilitated by organised criminal networks.

An estimated 206.4 tonnes of smuggled pangolin scales were confiscated between

2016-2019 from 52 seizures. Analysis of the seizure data shows an increase in

trafficking at unprecedented levels: nearly two-thirds of the tonnage seized

(132.1 tonnes) were detected in the last two years (2018-2019). While in 2019,

the average weight of a single pangolin scale shipment was 6.2 tonnes, compared

with 2.2 tonnes three years earlier.

"We believe that the total figure is only a fraction of the total being

trafficked, as it is likely that a significant proportion of smuggling passes

undetected," said Sarah Stoner, WJC Director of Intelligence. "Our

investigative approach adds an additional dimension in quantifying the scale of

trafficking due to our intelligence concerning the stockpiling of pangolin

scales (over 16 tonnes over three years) in Vietnam alone, which is in addition

to the detected seizures we have analysed."

The analysis also examines the relationship between ivory and pangolin scales

trafficking and what this means in a crime context. Due to the decrease in the

value of ivory, organised criminal networks have switched commodity types and

are having to move huge shipments of scales to maintain profit margins.

Pangolin scales are worth less per kg than ivory (2).

"Organised crime in wildlife is not species specific: it is about high-value

commodities and profits. Networks will shift to a different species if the

margins are good. In order to effectively tackle it, organised wildlife crime

must be tackled from a criminal perspective, as well as from its transnational

dimension, rather than solely focusing on it at a national level," said Stoner.

In its report, the WJC observes that the regular use of methodology such

controlled deliveries can yield remarkable results if it is used as a tool to

bring the organisers of pangolin trafficking to justice.

"The recent year-long investigation in China into the trafficking of pangolin

scales and the more recent seizure by Nigerian authorities (3) are great

examples of how these transnational wildlife crimes should be investigated and

the tangible results it can achieve in meaningfully disrupting organised

criminality. Without this approach, pangolins remain in an incredibly

vulnerable position that is threatening their existence," added Stoner.

The Wildlife Justice Commission operates globally to disrupt and help dismantle

organised transnational criminal networks trading in wildlife, timber and fish.

We do this by collecting evidence and turning it into accountability.

Notes for editor:

(1)  Full report is available at the WJC website, www.wildlifejustice.org   

(2)  The WJC's Ivory Snapshot Analysis published on September 2019, provided a

thorough view of trends and changes in the criminal dynamics of the

transnational trafficking of ivory, pointing out the increase of detected

consignments including ivory weighing over 500 kg, as well as the worrying

trend of large volumes of pangolin scales that are increasingly being smuggled

in combination with ivory.

(3)  In December 2019, Chinese authorities made a breakthrough by confiscating

10.65 tonnes of pangolin scales smuggled from Nigeria through South Korea to

China during a year-long investigation that showed the markings of a controlled

delivery. More recently, in January 2020, Nigerian Customs seized pangolin

scales among other contraband that was smuggled across the Nigerian/Cameroon

border. These type of high-level and closely coordinated interventions to

disrupt the criminal networks behind the global trafficking of scales are now

paramount to protect African pangolins from the ongoing demand for their scales

and meat.

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Source:  Wildlife Justice Commision