Alexandria Reid

Alexandria Reid, who wrote the report, said: “Our report shows the UK government must take its own advice on prioritising illegal wildlife trade cases. “We cannot tackle climate change and biodiversity loss until we address the role the UK financial system plays in laundering the vast profits made by criminals engaged in environmental crime.”

Alexandria Reid, the study’s main author said: “West Africa has become the consolidation and export point of choice for wildlife traffickers across Africa. The relocation of trafficking networks is driven by a potent combination of weak law enforcement capacity, well-connected transportation systems, and endemic corruption.The forthcoming West Africa Strategy on Combating Wildlife Crime offers an unprecedented opportunity to tackle these organised crime networks, but only if financial investigations are at the heart of law enforcement responses.”

“We should be wary of those who preach enforcement-only initiatives to tackle illegal wildlife trade. A holistic approach starts with the recognition that although the ultimate beneficiaries may be organised crime networks, the poaching economy plays a significant role in the livelihoods of rural people too,” Reid said.