Wildlife Trafficking Investigators Program (WTIP): Session 14 (Jan 13-24, 2025)
Published
From January 13-24, 2025, the Wildlife Trafficking Investigators Program (WTIP), Session 14, successfully gathered 31 law enforcement officials from six subscribing countries to advance their skills in wildlife crime investigation. Hosted by ILEA Bangkok in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), this two-week course provided an in-depth exploration of the tools and techniques needed to combat wildlife trafficking.
The curriculum covered critical areas such as endangered species law, CITES wildlife trade data, wildlife identification, and case management. Through a combination of classroom lectures and field exercises, participants gained hands-on experience in topics like digital evidence collection, surveillance, covert operations, raid planning, money laundering, interview techniques, ethics, and corruption. Special emphasis was placed on developing effective report writing and court preparation skills, essential for bringing wildlife traffickers to justice.
The course encouraged active interaction between instructors and participants, fostering a collaborative environment where law enforcement officials could exchange intelligence and best practices. The emphasis on building and maintaining international contacts for intelligence-sharing was a key theme, with instructors sharing insights into the specific wildlife trafficking challenges faced by the participating countries. This global cooperation and exchange of investigative techniques are critical to tackling the complex and transnational nature of wildlife trafficking.
31 officials from 6 subscribing countries took part in this invaluable training, strengthening their ability to tackle wildlife crime through enhanced cooperation and advanced investigative methods. The WTIP Session 14 not only helped improve the technical skills of the participants but also reinforced the importance of global collaboration in the fight against wildlife trafficking.
