Two wildlife traffickers have been convicted and sentenced in Madagascar following the seizure of 167 endangered radiated tortoises in Toliara, in an operation supported by the Wildlife Justice Commission.
Scroll through social media and you find the images everywhere: influencers cuddling tiger cubs, baby monkeys dressed in clothes, colourful talking birds perched on shoulders, and reptiles being presented as exotic pets.
The Cost of Cute: What lies behind the illegal pet trade. Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission today launches The cost of cute: How you can fight the illegal pet trade, a practical guide to help people understand the illegal pet trade, spot animals being trafficked, and report this widespread and lesser-known form of crime.
The cost of cute: Wildlife Justice launches new guide to fight the illegal pet trade Read more »
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Every year on World Rhino Day, we are reminded that the very trait rhinos are known for—their horns—also makes them a prime target for wildlife traffickers.
Rhino poaching is down. Now we need to sustain it. Read more »
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Rhino horn trafficking remains one of the most organised and persistent forms of wildlife crime, linking poaching in Africa to trafficking networks and consumer markets across Asia.
Snapshot from the field: Current trends in rhino horn trafficking Read more »
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Wildlife trafficking remains one of the most pervasive drivers of biodiversity loss, pushing endangered species closer to extinction while undermining ecosystems, communities, and economies.
Fighting wildlife trafficking requires persistence Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission today welcomed the convictions by a Vietnamese court of two wildlife traffickers caught in possession of nearly one tonne of African pangolin scales.
Wildlife Justice Commission applauds conviction of Vietnamese pangolin scale traffickers Read more »
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A suspected wildlife trafficking kingpin, Shamsideen Abubakar, has been arrested in Nigeria following a joint operation involving the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Wildlife Justice Commission.
Over the past month, the Wildlife Justice Commission has continued to support targeted law enforcement operations to disrupt wildlife trafficking networks and protect vulnerable species.
One arrest at a time: Targeting the criminal networks behind wildlife trafficking Read more »
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The world came to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to learn from Nigeria’s experience. The occasion was CITES CoP20, the once-every-three-years global conference where governments decide how to protect endangered species by regulating international wildlife trade.
From transit hub to global model: How Nigeria gave pangolins a fighting chance Read more »
Investigations News
On 3 March 2026, an operation unfolded in southern Madagascar that would strike at the heart of an international wildlife trafficking network. Acting on intelligence provided by Wildlife Justice Commission investigators.
This month brings encouraging signs of progress in the global fight against wildlife crime. From operational successes with our law enforcement partners in Madagascar, to expanding our work into timber trafficking, to advancing international policy discussions.
Targeting wildlife crime: Progress and partnerships Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission today launches Fighting Wildlife Crime: A Decade of Impact, a dynamic new multimedia web feature marking ten years of disrupting transnational organised crime and protecting endangered species.
Illegal logging and timber trafficking are driving the loss of the world’s forests and pose a serious threat to life on our planet. Thanks to a €1.26 million grant from the Postcode Lottery, made possible by its players across the Netherlands, the Wildlife Justice Commission will expand its intelligence-driven and law-enforcement focused approach to tackling timber trafficking.
Four young orangutans have been saved from the illegal wildlife trade through the work of the Wildlife Justice Commission, in close partnership with Thai law enforcement authorities. Rescued in Thailand in 2025, they have now been safely repatriated to Indonesia, where they will undergo rehabilitation before, one day, being returned to the wild.
Every year, as I prepare to write this end-of-year reflection, I find myself returning to the same feeling: deep pride in the impact the Wildlife Justice Commission has achieved, and deep gratitude for all those who stand with us. But this year is different. This year marks our 10th anniversary.
A decade of impact: Wildlife Justice celebrates 10 years of fighting wildlife crime Read more »
Investigations News
The Wildlife Justice Commission’s new documentary Seizure has drawn significant global attention following its premiere on 9 December on the Wildlife Justice YouTube channel. The award-winning short film provides a rare look into the inner workings of transnational organised crime networks involved in the trafficking of endangered species – one of the largest and most profitable forms of transnational organised crime.
The Wildlife Justice Commission will premiere its acclaimed short documentary Seizure on its official YouTube channel on 9 December 2025 at 19:00 CET. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Matt Durrant, the film offers a rare and gripping look into the hidden world of wildlife trafficking — one of the most profitable forms of transnational organised crime, and one that threatens species with extinction.
Wildlife Justice Commission to premiere ‘Seizure’ on 9 December Read more »
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‘Seizure’, a powerful new documentary short film offering an undercover look at the fight against wildlife trafficking, will premiere 9 Dec. 2025 at 19:00 CET on the Wildlife Justice Commission’s YouTube channel.
Award-Winning ‘Seizure’ Debuts 9 December Read more »
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One year ago, a Qatar Airways plane took off from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport carrying an unusual cargo: hundreds of live turtles, tortoises, and lemurs, stolen from Madagascar’s forests and trafficked to Thailand. The “lemur flight” was repatriating these survivors of wildlife crime, returning them to the wild, to their home in Madagascar.
Lessons from the “Lemur Flight” Read more »
Investigations News
‘Seizure’, a powerful new documentary short film offering an undercover look at the fight against wildlife trafficking, will premiere 9 Dec. 2025 at 19:00 CET on the Wildlife Justice Commission YouTube channel.
‘Seizure’ goes undercover in the world of wildlife trafficking Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission today published a new report examining whether wildlife trafficking is treated with the seriousness it deserves in national legal systems.
The report provides an assessment of how the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) has been incorporated into domestic legislation, and how effectively it is being implemented to tackle wildlife trafficking.
The Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) and Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen Nigeria’s response to organised wildlife crime.
The Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) took part in the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, held in Nice from 9 to 13 June 2025. With over 60 Heads of State and Government and 15,000 participants in attendance, the UN Ocean Conference served as a pivotal platform for the WJC to draw global attention to a critical yet often overlooked threat: the trafficking of endangered and vulnerable marine species.
At the UN Oceans Conference in Nice, France, last week, the International Conservation Caucus Foundation UK, the Wildlife Justice Commission, the Environmental Justice Foundation, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime convened a high-level roundtable at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice to spotlight a critical but under-addressed threat: crimes in the fisheries sector.
Confronting crime to protect our ocean Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) took part in the 34th session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), held in Vienna from 19 to 23 May 2025. As the United Nations’ main body on crime and justice, the CCPCJ offers a key platform to advance the global fight against wildlife and environmental crime.
The remarkable return of Madagascar’s lemurs and tortoises in late 2024 was a story of hope and resilience. That story now enters a new chapter—defined by justice, disruption, and accountability.
Wildlife trafficking remains one of the most urgent threats to biodiversity today. Across regions, species, and ecosystems, it continues to drive extinction, degrade governance, foster corruption, and fuel transnational criminal networks that often traffic not just wildlife, but also drugs, arms, and people.
How enforcement can give wildlife a fighting chance Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) has published a new report revealing a remarkable and sustained disruption in the trafficking of pangolin scales and ivory from Africa to Asia. Titled Disruption and Disarray: An analysis of pangolin scale and ivory trafficking, 2015–2024, the report documents a sharp decline in significant seizures since 2020, pointing to a shift in the criminal landscape and the potential long-term impact of targeted law enforcement efforts.
We’re proud to share our latest report, Disruption and Disarray, which takes a deep dive into pangolin and ivory trafficking trends over the last decade —revealing a significant and sustained disruption in the flow of these products from Africa to Asia.
In a major strike against wildlife trafficking in Nigeria, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), supported by the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), arrested five suspects and seized 3.765 tonnes of pangolin scales in Lagos, an amount estimated to represent the killing of over 1,900 pangolins.
In a significant victory against transnational wildlife crime, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the arrest of a suspected high-level Chinese wildlife trafficker in Lagos. Acting on intelligence provided by the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), NCS carried out the arrest on 19 February 2025. This operation represents a critical disruption to organised wildlife crime networks operating between Nigeria and Asia.
On 5 December 2024, a major operation led by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), with support from the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), has resulted in the arrest of a suspected pangolin scale broker and the seizure of 2.179 tonnes of pangolin scales, equivalent to approximately 1,100 pangolins.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), with support from the Wildlife Justice Commission, successfully conducted two major operations on 8 August 2024, resulting in the combined seizure of over 9.4 tonnes of pangolin scales and arrests of four suspects. These operations mark a significant achievement in the ongoing efforts to dismantle wildlife trafficking networks in Nigeria.
In early 2024, the Wildlife Justice Commission launched a series of training and mentoring programs. These initiatives were designed to empower Mozambican law enforcement agencies, particularly SERNIC, in their efforts to disrupt organised wildlife trafficking networks.
Strengthening law enforcement capacity to combat wildlife crime in Mozambique Read more »
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On World Rhino Day, we reflect on the ongoing battle against rhino horn trafficking and celebrate significant victories, while acknowledging the challenges that persist. Rhinos continue to be targeted by transnational criminal networks driven by greed, however recent advancements in law…
In a significant victory against rhino horn trafficking, Simon Valoi, also known as “Navara”, and Paulo Zucula, two notorious figures in the illegal rhino horn trade, have been convicted and sentenced respectively to 27 and 24 years in prison in Mozambique.
In a coordinated effort, the Special Wildlife Investigations Unit (SWIU), supported by Focused Conservation and the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), successfully conducted a joint operation resulting in the arrest of four suspects and the seizure of 525 kilograms of pangolin scales in Monrovia, Liberia, on 10 July 2024.
Joint operation leads to four arrests and major seizure of pangolin scales in Liberia Read more »
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In a significant blow to global wildlife trafficking, the South African Police Service (SAPS), acting on intelligence from the Wildlife Justice Commission, has arrested Vietnamese wildlife trafficker Nguyen Huu Tao and his associate, Nico Scoltz, for allegedly attempting to illegally sell lions.
As a parent, I often wonder about the world my children will inherit. Will they grow up marveling at the same incredible wildlife we have today, or will those species be lost forever? This question drives my work at the Wildlife Justice Commission, where we are dedicated to disrupting and dismantling transnational criminal networks that threaten our planet’s biodiversity. Imagining a future without tigers, rhinos, turtles, pangolins, sharks and many other species is devastating; we must act now to prevent their extinction.
The Wildlife Justice Commission is thrilled to announce the publication of its 2023 Annual Report, highlighting a year of remarkable achievements. Throughout 2023, our unwavering commitment to disrupting transnational criminal networks involved in wildlife trafficking led to significant successes in countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, where we played a crucial role in facilitating substantial arrests.
The Wildlife Justice Commission publishes its 2023 Annual Report Read more »
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I am thrilled to share the exciting news that the Wildlife Justice Commission has been prominently featured in Patrick Alley’s highly anticipated book, “Terrible Humans”. Patrick a staunch ally in the fight against environmental crimes through his pioneering work with Global Witness, which he co-founded, has shed light on our pivotal battle against wildlife crime in his latest publication.
In a landmark joint operation, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), supported by the Wildlife Justice Commission has successfully arrested two major wildlife traffickers in Nigeria. These arrests are linked to the significant seizure of 1.58 tonnes of ivory at Lach Huyen International Port, Hai Phong, Vietnam on 27 March 2024.
The Wildlife Justice Commission’s participation at the 33rd session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) in Vienna marked a pivotal step in advocating for enhanced global efforts to combat crimes that affect the environment, particularly wildlife trafficking.
Advancing the fight against crimes that affect the environment at the CCPCJ Read more »
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In a significant blow to the illegal live pet trade, Thai law enforcement agencies, acting on intelligence provided by the Wildlife Justice Commission, have executed a significant operation on 1 May 2024. The operation resulted in the arrest of six suspects and the seizure of 1,076 radiated tortoises and 48 lemurs, concealed within 41 boxes and 11 cages respectively, while being transported in a four-vehicle convoy in Chumphon Province, Southern Thailand.
The trial of two suspects accused of orangutan trafficking concluded in Indonesia on 26 February 2024 with a significant conviction. They had been arrested as a result of a joint investigation by the Wildlife Justice Commission and the INP aimed at dismantling orangutan supplier networks operating from Indonesia to Thailand.
Demonstrating the ongoing commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to combat wildlife crime, three suspected wildlife traffickers were apprehended in Nigeria on 4 February 2024, with a fourth arrest made on 6 February 2024. This successful operation was a joint intelligence-led investigation by the NCS and the Wildlife Justice Commission, targeting illicit wildlife supplier networks.
Arrest of four wildlife traffickers in joint operation with Nigeria Customs Service Read more »
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2023 was an outstanding year for the Wildlife Justice Commission, marked by significant achievements. Our unwavering commitment to disrupt and help dismantle transnational criminal networks involved in wildlife trafficking led to notable successes in countries such as Nigeria, Mozambique, Indonesia, and Malaysia, where we played a crucial role in facilitating substantial arrests. We considerably extended our global reach and continued sharing our expertise with law enforcement, policy makers, and practitioners worldwide.
Reaching new milestones against wildlife crime in 2023 Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission is launching a new podcast in the Wildlife Kingpin series. Following on from “Wildlife Kingpin: The Rise and Fall of Ah Nam”, comes “Operation Dragon”. This second series sheds light on the investigation conducted by the Wildlife Justice Commission that brought to justice some of the biggest turtle and tortoise traffickers in Southeast Asia.
The Wildlife Justice Commission is proud to be one of the 301 civil society organizations and experts from 99 countries across the globe signed an open letter urging the states that have ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to adopt a Resolution at the 10th UNCAC Conference of States Parties (CoSP 10) taking place next month in Atlanta, United States.
