CRIMINALS behind wildlife trafficking rackets are devising new methods of eluding law enforcers, including processing some of their illegally acquired items to change texture and appearance

 “Illegal wildlife trade is not a new thing but the techniques employed by the actors keep being refreshed on frequent basis,” pointed out Allen Chad Mgaza, the Natural Resources Management Policy Lead of the Tuhifadhi Maliasili, undertaken by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

It is important for law enforcement agencies to stay on alert and keep themselves up to date in anticipating changes and new tactics from traffickers and dealers who regularly change styles, routes and approach.

"They now process or camouflage the hides, tusks and horns changing their appearance to look like something different," said Mgaza, adding that even the routes of passage keep changing occasionally.

But with recent arrests of some of Kingpins behind wildlife trafficking rackets, Tanzania has made major strides in containing the global racket within the country's shores.

Salim Msemo is the Acting Assistant Director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Crimes Section at the Directorate of Public Prosecutions in Dodoma.

Msemo explains that wildlife trafficking incidents are not isolated to one geographical area but forms a syndicated network which transverses the entire globe. “Which explains why it is usually difficult to crack these types of crime without forming an equally large network of multinational anti-crime units,” added Msemo.

The Acting Assistant Director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Crimes was speaking to scribe members of the Journalists Environmental Association in Tanzania (JET) who recently visited the DPP office in Dodoma under the auspices of USAID Tuhifadhi Maliasili project.

He listed some of the wildlife species or products that are mostly smuggled by traffickers as rhino horns, elephant tusks, lion and leopard skins as well as live animals such as turtles and tortoises.

Recently again the Lusaka Agreement Task Force on Reducing Maritime Trafficking of Wildlife between Africa and Asia recently reported during their meeting in Arusha, Tanzania that Pangolins are currently the most sought after wildlife species by traffickers. 

Pangolins are said to be illegally being captured from Africa, and trafficked to Asia and the Far East. 

The Director of Lusaka Agreement task force, Edward Phiri stated during one of the meetings held in Arusha, which Pangolins are already extinct in Asia and now wildlife traffickers have started smuggling the creatures from Africa taking them to Asia where they are being killed, mostly for their scales, believed to be of medicinal value. Some of the pangolins get shipped to the Far East, especially China where they happen to be popular delicacies in hotels and restaurants. 

Experts say illegal wildlife trade is among the five most lucrative businesses, estimated to generate over USD 23 billion annually. 

Presenting a paper on wildlife trafficking during the special Training Program on Biodiversity Conservation the Tanzania Forest Service (TFS) Joint Port Control Unit- Container Control Program Reuben Magandi explained that traffickers exploit legitimate transport, logistics services and commercial trade routes to move Flora and Fauna or their products illegally from source to consumer countries. 

During the training organized by the Journalists’ Environmental Association of Tanzania (JET) with support from USAID, journalists were told that about 95 Percent of Tanzania’s international trade is handled by the Port of Dar es Salaam.

The U.S Department of State recently designated the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cambodia, Cameroon, Laos Madagascar and Nigeria in the 'Countries of Concern' listing, as far as wildlife trafficking is concerned. 

According to the U.S Department of State's Climate, Environment, and Conservation, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania remain under the 'Focus Countries' list among 22 other precincts.

To identify Countries of Concern among the 24 Focus precincts, the Department of State, in consultation with the Departments of the Interior and Commerce, as well as with the Department of Justice and USAID, reviewed publicly available information as well as classified material to identify governments actively engaged in or knowingly profiting from trafficking of endangered or threatened species. 

The Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt (END) Wildlife Trafficking Report of 2024, more than one of these countries are taking affirmative steps to strengthen enforcement, reduce demand, and improve international cooperation to combat wildlife trafficking. 

“Countries demonstrating serious and sustained efforts to prevent and prosecute wildlife trafficking may be removed from the Countries of Concern list in the next report, barring other factors,” reads part of the report from the United States Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. 

The Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking co-chaired by the U.S Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Attorney General, brings together 17 federal departments and agencies to implement the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking. 

The U.S. government’s three-pronged approach to combating wildlife trafficking – strengthening law enforcement, reducing demand, and building international cooperation – reportedly deprives criminals of a key source of financing, reducing the criminal threat posed to U.S. citizens. 

For 2024, the Task Force agencies spent considerable time reviewing the criteria that had led to the earlier designations. 

The U.S Department of State, in consultation with the Departments of the Interior and Commerce as required by the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt (END) Act, as well as the Department of Justice and USAID, has listed the other three East African countries of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania among the 22 Focus Countries in wildlife trafficking. 

The List of Focus Countries in 2024 also includes Brazil, Cameroon, Cambodia, Colombia, Gabon, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, and the People’s Republic of China, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and Zimbabwe and Republic of the Congo. 

Each of those 22 countries continue as a ‘major source of wildlife trafficking products or their derivatives, a major transit point of wildlife trafficking products or their derivatives, or a major consumer of wildlife trafficking products,’ according to the 2024 report.

 Twenty-one of 24 posts reported data on arrests, prosecutions, and convictions of wildlife traffickers. Eighteen posts reported existing laws treating wildlife trafficking as a serious crime.

 The Task Force also obtained data on demand reduction indicators for 11 of the 24 Focus Countries, reaching an estimated 197 million people. 

Over the past five years, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) spent over USD 50 million to combat wildlife trafficking in Tanzania and support the improved management of the country’s natural resources.

 The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cambodia, Cameroon, Laos Madagascar and Nigeria, according to the Department of State, have been listed in the ‘Country of Concern’ designation because there are indications of serious concerns of either high-level or systemic government involvement.