U.S. works to eliminate wildlife trafficking

The United States government has put wildlife tracking on its radar by forming a task force that will target the groups and organizations that profit from the crime.

The Interagency Task Force on Wildlife Tracking is co-chaired by the Department of State, the Department of the Interior and the Department of Justice. There are 17 government agencies and departments that fall under the task force.

The task force has been putting the Eliminate, Neutralize and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act into effect. The act was passed in September 2016 and was officially made a law in October.

Some of the work of the task force includes the bust of an ongoing rhino horn and ivory smuggling operation. There were over 30 convictions as a result of the investigation and $7.5 million was collected through fines and forfeitures.

The World Customs Organization (WCO) secretary general awarded the U.S. a WCO Certificate of Merit to the Homeland Security Investigations staff in San Diego. The team was acknowledged for its efforts to stop the traffickers of sea cucumbers.

They have also been a part of training over 2,000 officers in 14 countries across Asia. Their efforts helped the newly trained officers make over 1,300 arrests and seize more than $150 million.