Ecuadorean and Colombian Service Members Counter Endangered Species Trafficking

Source: Diálogo

The illegal trade in wildlife is the third largest source of funding for criminal groups.

Ecuador and Colombia, among the most biodiverse countries in the world, face a daily struggle against the illegal trafficking of animals destined for international markets, a profitable activity for organized crime.

“The trade of protected animals is Colombia’s third largest illegal industry after drug and human smuggling. […] Exotic birds, monkeys, frogs, turtles, pythons — are animals desired as pets, for their meat, as an aphrodisiac or for their skin,” said The New York Times on May 3.. “Wildlife crime not only strips our environment of its resources; it also has an impact through the associated violence, money laundering, and fraud,” International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) Secretary General Jürgen Stock said in July.

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