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INTERPOL’S INTERPOL’S ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL

CRIMES COMMITTEECRIMES COMMITTEE

Arwyn Jones Arwyn Jones

ECENA Plenary MeetingECENA Plenary Meeting

September 2007September 2007

InterpolInterpol

Interpol – Interpol – What are weWhat are we

It supports and assists all organizations, It supports and assists all organizations, authorities and services whose mission is authorities and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime.to prevent or combat international crime.

There are 184 member countries.There are 184 member countries.

Its primary role is the collection, Its primary role is the collection, comparison and exchange of informationcomparison and exchange of information..

Interpol Environmental Crimes Interpol Environmental Crimes CommitteeCommittee

EnvironmentalEnvironmental CrimesCrimes CommitteeCommittee

Set up in 1993Set up in 1993

Hosts International Environmental Hosts International Environmental Crimes ConferencesCrimes Conferences

Assists in identifying problems Assists in identifying problems associated with Environmental Crimes associated with Environmental Crimes investigationsinvestigations

Identifies solutionsIdentifies solutions

Two Working Groups of the Two Working Groups of the Environmental Crimes Environmental Crimes

CommitteeCommittee

Wildlife Crimes Working GroupWildlife Crimes Working Group

Pollution Crimes Working Pollution Crimes Working GroupGroup

International Meetings & International Meetings & Conferences on Environmental Conferences on Environmental

CrimeCrimeConference June 2-3, 2005 in Lyon, FranceConference June 2-3, 2005 in Lyon, France

Preceded by meetings of the two working Preceded by meetings of the two working groups.groups.

Attended by 46 countries from every inhabited Attended by 46 countries from every inhabited continent in the world.continent in the world.

See: See: www.interpol.intwww.interpol.int

2006 & 2007 – 2 day working group meetings 2006 & 2007 – 2 day working group meetings

Accomplishments 2005 – 2007 Accomplishments 2005 – 2007

With outside funding, Interpol hired a full-time With outside funding, Interpol hired a full-time wildlife crimes desk officer.wildlife crimes desk officer.

Interpol pledged $85,000 to buy a wildlife Interpol pledged $85,000 to buy a wildlife surveillance plane in Africa.surveillance plane in Africa.

Specific projects, including Clean Seas, links to Specific projects, including Clean Seas, links to organized crime, training, etc startedorganized crime, training, etc started

Investigators Oil Pollution Manual publishedInvestigators Oil Pollution Manual published

Qualitative Assessment of involvement of organised Qualitative Assessment of involvement of organised crime in pollution crime completedcrime in pollution crime completed

Advocacy memo of seriousness of environmental Advocacy memo of seriousness of environmental crime published for use for prosecutorscrime published for use for prosecutors

Committee ProjectsCommittee Projects

Interpol Environmental Crimes Interpol Environmental Crimes Training ProgramTraining Program

EcomessageEcomessage

Environmental Crimes TrainingEnvironmental Crimes Training

““very useful information which changed my very useful information which changed my approach to the problem of environmental crime”approach to the problem of environmental crime”

““underscore ‘A plus’ for this course . . . training is underscore ‘A plus’ for this course . . . training is definitely needed and useful”definitely needed and useful”

Environmental Crimes TrainingEnvironmental Crimes Training

Purpose is to train local law enforcement to Purpose is to train local law enforcement to recognize environmental crime, investigate recognize environmental crime, investigate and protect health and welfare of communityand protect health and welfare of community

Train-the-trainer formatTrain-the-trainer format

International facultyInternational faculty

Modules on pollution, wildlife, bioterrorism, Modules on pollution, wildlife, bioterrorism, personal safety and cooperationpersonal safety and cooperation

Interactive and practicalInteractive and practical

Interpol’s EcomessageInterpol’s Ecomessage

Objectives:Objectives:Enhance communication among Enhance communication among environmental law enforcement environmental law enforcement in different countries.in different countries.Develop a data base to Develop a data base to determine trends of determine trends of environmental criminal activity.environmental criminal activity.

Past Data Collection ProblemsPast Data Collection Problems

Required information from scattered Required information from scattered sourcessources

No standard method of reportingNo standard method of reporting

No international repositoryNo international repository

Environmental law enforcement officers in Environmental law enforcement officers in one country did not know colleagues in one country did not know colleagues in another countryanother country

The EcomessageThe EcomessageCovers All Environmental Crime Covers All Environmental Crime

Having International RamificationsHaving International Ramifications

Wildlife smugglingWildlife smuggling

Illegal transboundary shipments of wasteIllegal transboundary shipments of waste

Vessel pollutionVessel pollution

Banned substances smuggling e.g ODSBanned substances smuggling e.g ODS

Foreign witnesses, defendants, victimsForeign witnesses, defendants, victims

Ecomessage: How It WorksEcomessage: How It Works

Interpol General Secretariat in Lyon, Interpol General Secretariat in Lyon, France is central repositoryFrance is central repository

Standardized formStandardized form

Compatible with Interpol’s databaseCompatible with Interpol’s database

Efficient cross-referencing of data with Efficient cross-referencing of data with other entriesother entries

Organized and meaningful extraction of Organized and meaningful extraction of datadata

Ecomessage AccomplishmentsEcomessage Accomplishments

Project Noah – illegal trade of reptilesProject Noah – illegal trade of reptiles

Illegal trade of primatesIllegal trade of primates

Assisted investigation concerning Assisted investigation concerning shipment of radioactive wasteshipment of radioactive waste

Conviction of Anson WongConviction of Anson Wong– Interpol Red Notice in Mexico CityInterpol Red Notice in Mexico City– Pleaded guilty to 40 Felony Count IndictmentPleaded guilty to 40 Felony Count Indictment– Sentenced to 71 months in US prisonSentenced to 71 months in US prison

Current Efforts to Broaden Current Efforts to Broaden Involvement and Increase Quantity Involvement and Increase Quantity

of Ecomessagesof Ecomessages

More than 2000 Ecomessages have been More than 2000 Ecomessages have been submitted to Interpol.submitted to Interpol.Majority relate to wildlife crime.Majority relate to wildlife crime.Approx. 150 concern transboundary shipment of Approx. 150 concern transboundary shipment of hazardous waste.hazardous waste.Collaborative effort with International Fund for Collaborative effort with International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and INECE. Animal Welfare (IFAW) and INECE. Kenya Wildlife Service recipient of first Kenya Wildlife Service recipient of first Ecomessage award.Ecomessage award.

Training to Kenya Wildlife ServiceTraining to Kenya Wildlife Service

Training March, 2006Training March, 2006

Investigative Investigative techniquestechniques

ForensicsForensics

Anti-corruptionAnti-corruption

Human rights and law Human rights and law enforcementenforcement

Follow upFollow up

Wildlife Working GroupWildlife Working GroupProjectsProjects

Project AdanProject AdanDetermine links Determine links between elephant between elephant poaching and poaching and organized crime and organized crime and terrorism.terrorism.Data from Interpol Data from Interpol and NGOsand NGOsInterpol to provide Interpol to provide criminal analyses criminal analyses

Are There Links BetweenAre There Links BetweenWildlife Crime and Terrorism?Wildlife Crime and Terrorism?

Wildlife Working GroupWildlife Working GroupAirport ProjectAirport Project

Most illegal wildlife Most illegal wildlife trafficking passes trafficking passes through airports.through airports.

Develop networks Develop networks with airport security with airport security personnel and personnel and provide strategies for provide strategies for intervention.intervention.

Wildlife Crimes TrainingWildlife Crimes Training

To supplement To supplement Interpol’s Environmental Interpol’s Environmental Crimes Training.Crimes Training.

This project will develop This project will develop a course fully devoted to a course fully devoted to wildlife criminal wildlife criminal investigation and investigation and enforcement.enforcement.

Pollution Crimes Working Group Pollution Crimes Working Group ProjectsProjects

Operation Clean SeasOperation Clean Seas

Links Between Links Between Environmental Crime Environmental Crime and Organized Crime and Organized Crime and Terrorismand Terrorism

Penalties ProjectPenalties Project

Pollution Crimes Working GroupPollution Crimes Working GroupProjectsProjects

Operation Clean Operation Clean SeasSeas

Concerns the Concerns the intentional discharges intentional discharges of pollution from shipsof pollution from shipsViolation of domestic Violation of domestic law and international law and international treatiestreatiesGlobal environmental Global environmental problemproblem

Operation Clean SeasOperation Clean Seas

Worst Offenders Worst Offenders DatabaseDatabase

Purpose: target Purpose: target violators and violators and determine trends.determine trends.

Presently data of over Presently data of over 1500 violations from 1500 violations from seven countries.seven countries.

KEY FINDINGS >>>>>>>>>

• Entire industry polluting Entire industry polluting

• Study indicated no causality between logical Study indicated no causality between logical indicators and pollution incidents; e.g., type of indicators and pollution incidents; e.g., type of vessel, flag state, nationality, etc.vessel, flag state, nationality, etc.

• As more countries provide data, information As more countries provide data, information becomes more statistically relevantbecomes more statistically relevant

• Commonalities from this analysis will yield a Commonalities from this analysis will yield a robust and useablerobust and useable profiling system profiling system

Any vessel is a potential polluterAny vessel is a potential polluter

. . . except for this guy . . .. . . except for this guy . . .

. . . maybe.. . . maybe.

Operation Clean SeasOperation Clean SeasBest Investigative PracticesBest Investigative Practices

Purpose: Provide highest quality and Purpose: Provide highest quality and consistency to ship source oil pollution consistency to ship source oil pollution investigations.investigations.

Approach: compile and review procedures Approach: compile and review procedures being used around the world.being used around the world.

Published a manual and being Published a manual and being disseminated widely.disseminated widely.

Organised Crime LinksOrganised Crime Links

2006 report findings of a proven link 2006 report findings of a proven link accepted by the Committee and Interpolaccepted by the Committee and InterpolCurrent Phase is examining in more detail Current Phase is examining in more detail the exports sector of waste electrical the exports sector of waste electrical equipmentequipmentWe aim to produce a “problem profile” that We aim to produce a “problem profile” that regulators can use to decide how best to regulators can use to decide how best to intervene in illegal export of electrical intervene in illegal export of electrical wastewaste

Penalties projectPenalties project

Compiled a picture of how different Compiled a picture of how different environmental crimes are treated in the environmental crimes are treated in the courts by the size of the fines issuedcourts by the size of the fines issued

Published an Advocacy memo for Published an Advocacy memo for prosecutors to use in court to emphasise prosecutors to use in court to emphasise the seriousness of environmental crimesthe seriousness of environmental crimes. .

Working Group Meeting 2007Working Group Meeting 2007

Further initiatives – Air Pollution project Further initiatives – Air Pollution project agreedagreedSuperForm to replace Ecomessage formSuperForm to replace Ecomessage formLinking pollution crimes to contributing to Linking pollution crimes to contributing to climate change climate change Increase fundraising efforts further our Increase fundraising efforts further our workworkEncourage wider country participation in Encourage wider country participation in projectsprojects

SummarySummary

We are here to helpWe are here to helpWe have unique networks and resources that can We have unique networks and resources that can support investigatorssupport investigatorsWe deliver outputs that give practical support to We deliver outputs that give practical support to tackling environmental crimetackling environmental crimeWe are committed to collaborative working with other We are committed to collaborative working with other organisations and networks organisations and networks

To be effective we must all work together to tackle those To be effective we must all work together to tackle those who abuse our environmentwho abuse our environment