Environmental Crime

The illicit trade in endangered plants, animals and environmentally hazardous substances is one of the most serious global problems of our time. Not only do these crimes endanger our planet, but they could mean that some animals and plants disappear forever. Governments across the world are realising the importance of taking action now and are looking to their Customs organisations to play a crucial, front-line role in controlling eco-crime.

UK Customs and Excise has embraced this challenge. By its nature, eco-crime is likely to involve the movement of goods from one country to another. It is customs job to co-operate with other agencies in detecting the illegal trans-boundary movement of dangerous waste products and use their unique position at ports and airports to identify illegal imports and exports of:

• endangered plants and animals
• CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances (this now includes controls on the export of goods containing or requiring controlled substances to operate)
• banned products such as some pesticides

Plants and animals
After the destruction of natural habitats, illegal trade in plants and animals is thought to be the biggest cause of the disappearance of endangered species.

Tourists too play their part. By buying illegal souvenirs made from endangered species products such as ivory and crocodile skin, they are, often unknowingly, helping to boost this illegal trade. No-one knows exactly how much this trade is worth. Some have estimated a turnover of more than £3.6 billion (around US $6 billion). This is not surprising when you consider that certain species of rare parrots, for example, may fetch between £12,000 and £24,000 each (up to around US $40,000).

The world working together
The financial stakes are clearly high. In order to stem the excessive or illegal international trade in these species, nations across from the world, including the UK, signed a ground-breaking agreement in the 1970s. Now, for the 145 countries who have signed up, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora - CITES - is the internationally agreed means of controlling this trade.

Animals protected under the agreement include:
• gorillas
• chimpanzees
• giant pandas
• rhinoceroses
• most parrots
• even the medicinal leech or giant clam

Wild plants protected under the agreement include:
• cacti
• orchids
• snowdrops

The CITES agreement covers trade in plants and animals which are alive or dead, and even products which derive from them, including certain traditional Chinese medicines. Some of these contain tiger bone, bear bile or musk.

To comply with the legal requirements set by each country under the CITES agreement, importers and exporters - whether they are tourists or business people - need to present the appropriate CITES permit or declaration to customs. In the UK CITES fraudsters and smugglers risk up to seven years' imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. In 1997, the European Union imposed even stricter regulations on endangered species, monitoring trade levels on some species which are not even covered by CITES such as many species of seahorse.

The vital role of Customs
Without the involvement of customs officers worldwide, CITES cannot achieve its objective of protecting endangered species. CITES, overseen by the United Nations Environment Programme, works hand-in-hand with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) - sometimes described as the 'United Nations of customs'.

As an active member of the WCO, UK Customs and Excise is fully committed to playing its part in protecting the world's endangered and rare species.

Specialist teams
UK Customs and Excise has a network of specialist officers called Customs Wildlife and Endangered Species Officers. They also have a specialist Customs CITES team, based at Heathrow Airport and believed to be the only one in Europe.

They use sophisticated computer software to help them identify accurately the animals and plants they are dealing with and whether these are covered by CITES regulations.

Criminals intent on trading in CITES protected species or goods will either:
• give false descriptions of the goods or animals
• avoid customs control points
• falsify permits
• conceal specimens, on the body, in vehicles or in freight
• and even smuggle live animals by post

Our officers use their anti-smuggling expertise to detect these cruel concealments, which can cause animals great pain and even kill them in transit.