Crime Convergence

Organized crime networks involved in trafficking often combine different types of trafficking such as wildlife, narcotics, weapons and human trafficking. These types of trafficking are often interconnected and can be used to fund other criminal activities.  For example, the illegal wildlife trade is often used to launder money.  The United Nations (UN) defines an organized criminal group as a group of three or more people that exists for a period of time for the purpose of committing one or more serious crimes or offenses in order to gain financial or other material benefits.  Firearms are manufactured and traded both licitly and illicitly thus making the identification and tracing of illegally manufactured and trafficked firearms very complex.

Trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants are different crimes that require different responses in law and are each covered by a Protocol supplementing the Organized Crime Convention. However, these two offences are often confused, as they can occur along the same routes and affect the same people. The trafficking of wildlife may include the same trade routes and criminals involved thus it is important to understand the dynamics of all trafficking in areas where wildlife crime is committed. Cross refencing of intelligence is therefore a key component in combating wildlife crime as well impacting other forms of illegal activity. WildTiger puts emphasis on this component.