World Environment Day Zero Tolerance for Illegal Wildlife Trade

Representatives from the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), Supreme People's Procuracy (SPP) and General Department of Viet Nam Customs stood with the United Nations Resident Coordinator and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), to call for an end to wildlife trafficking, at a press conference that was held in the lead up to World Environment Day.

World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5th every year, and encourages countries across the world to raise awareness on specific environmental challenges. This year World Environment Day is putting the spotlight on the fight against illegal wildlife trade. UNODC organized the press conference to highlight some of the wider impacts of wildlife crime, particularly its corrosive effect on the rule of law and stability, as well as to promote some of Viet Nam's recent law enforcement efforts to address this issue. The press conference was conducted under UNODC's Global Programme for Combating Wildlife and Forest Crime.

"The illegal trade in wildlife is driving species to the brink of extinction, while posing environmental, economic, development and security risks," said Ms. Pratibha Mehta, UN Resident Coordinator. "This is a critical issue not only for Viet Nam, but globally, and the United Nations in Viet Nam stands firmly behind the appeal for zero tolerance for wildlife crime."

Illegal wildlife poaching, trafficking, trade and consumption is an urgent and growing problem affecting a wide range of mammals, reptiles, birds, insects and amphibians, many of which are globally threatened species. It has become a multi-billion dollar business globally, with organized criminal activities driving many species to the brink of extinction, and causing unprecedented destruction of natural resources.

Viet Nam has taken steps to reinforce its commitment to fighting wildlife crime, including a recent increase in reported seizures of illegal wildlife products. Between 2010 and 2015, Customs authorities seized approximately 55,200kg of pangolins, 18,000kg of ivory, and more than 235kg of rhino horn from illegal shipments; including one of their largest-ever seizures at Tien Sa port in Da Nang last year, when three shipments containing more than three tonnes of ivory, 120 kg of rhino horn and four tonnes of pangolin scales were intercepted.

Last year the 13th National Assembly also adopted a new Penal Code with strengthened provisions and increased penalties for wildlife crime; and in November 2016 Viet Nam will host the third international Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade, which will be a critical event to galvanize the international community to take stronger action against wildlife crime.

However, UNODC noted that while Viet Nam has enacted a range of efforts to improve legislation, strengthen law enforcement, and reduce consumer demand, there is still more that needs to be done. So far very few cases of wildlife crime have been successfully prosecuted in Viet Nam's courts, due to a range of challenges including inadequate preparation and presentation of evidence, legal loopholes, and a weak rule of law.

"Wildlife crime is serious transnational crime and it deserves a greater law enforcement response," said Mr. Chris Batt, UNODC Regional Advisor on Anti-Money Laundering and the Officer-In-Charge of UNODC in Viet Nam, "The next generation of efforts in Viet Nam would benefit from coordinated multi-agency investigations, the use of financial intelligence and anti-money laundering systems to map and disable trafficking networks, strengthening the capacity of law enforcement officials to address trafficking at borders and points of entry to Viet Nam, and making full use of the newly increased penalties to deter wildlife crime."

"To enhance the effectiveness of combating wildlife crime in the coming time, police forces are intensively and effectively implementing provisions of the Penal Code 2015 relating to wildlife crime; and closely coordinating with competent authorities namely Customs, Border Army, Market Control, Marine Police, and police from other countries and international organizations; enhancing exchange of information and experience in combating these types of crime," said the Lieutenant General Tran Van Ve, Deputy Director of the General Police Department, MPS.

In his final call to action, Mr. Chris Batt urged everyone to help stop the growing wave of wildlife trafficking: "We all have a role to play, from lawmakers, police, customs officers, prosecutors and judges, businesses, and citizens. We need to raise awareness that wildlife crime is a crime that affects all of us, and one we should no longer accept. It's time to get serious about wildlife crime – before it's too late."

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Le Thi Ngoc

UNODC Communications Officer

Email: ngoc.le@unodc.org

Mobile: (+84) 963 261 288

Ms. Jenny Feltham

UNODC Wildlife and Forest Crime

Email: jenny.feltham@unodc.org

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Information about UNODC and Global Programme for Combating Wildlife and Forest Crime

UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime. Established in 1997 through a merger between the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Centre for International Crime Prevention, UNODC operates in all regions of the world through an extensive network of field offices. UNODC relies on voluntary contributions, mainly from Governments, for 90 per cent of its budget.

UNODC is mandated to assist Member States in their struggle against illicit drugs, crime and terrorism. In the Millennium Declaration, Member States also resolved to intensify efforts to fight transnational crime in all its dimensions, to redouble the efforts to implement the commitment to counter the world drug problem and to take concerted action against international terrorism, commitments which were reaffirmed by adopting the sustainable development goals in 2015.

The UNODC Global Programme for Combating Wildlife and Forest Crime (GP) is a four-year programme aiming to link existing regional efforts in a global system, enhancing capacity-building and wildlife law enforcement networks at regional and sub-regional levels. The GP is working for and with the wildlife law enforcement community to ensure that wildlife crime, illegal logging, and related crimes are treated as serious transnational organized crimes.

UNODC plays an increasingly important role through delivery of specific technical assistance activities designed to strengthen the capacity of Member States to prevent, investigate, prosecute and adjudicate crimes against protected species of wild flora and fauna.

For more information, please consult the UNODC website: www.unodc.org