Combating International Wildlife Trafficking & Other Environmental Crime, with Olivia Swaak-Goldman
Listen now
Description
Kieran talks with Olivia Swaak-Goldman, executive director of the Wildlife Justice Commission, about the Hague-based organization’s efforts to stop the illegal wildlife trade and other forms of environmental exploitation, currently the fourth largest source of funds for transnational criminal organizations. Olivia discusses how WJC targets traffickers in endangered species and those having the greatest negative environmental impact with its team of former law enforcement investigators, intelligence officials and prosecutors. Olivia highlights WJC’s recent success in prosecuting ivory and Pangolin smugglers with help from Nigeria and China as well as the ongoing struggle to take down transnational criminals throughout the world who rely on the aid of corrupt officials and are often also engaged in human and drug trafficking. “Wildlife crimes wouldn’t be there without corruption, without fraud, without money laundering,” Olivia says, adding, “Addressing corruption is absolutely essential to tackling wildlife crime.” ACAMS and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)collaborated with the WJC to develop a free training certificate on investigative strategies to aid law enforcement in the use of financial intelligence and other data related to the illegal wildlife trade. LEARN MORE: https://www.acams.org/en/training/certificates/ending-illegal-wildlife-trade-a-practical-guide-for-law-enforcement
More Episodes
Kieran talks with Hennie Verbeek-Kusters, head of the Netherlands financial intelligence unit, about her leadership over the FIU since its founding in 2008. During their discussion, Hennie details how the Dutch FIU has evolved to face the challenge of evermore sophisticated transnational...
Published 05/30/24
Published 05/30/24
Kieran talks with Molly Moeser, Acting Chief, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the U.S. Justice Department, about MLARS’ efforts to seize illicit assets and, when possible, bring financial restitution to victims of crime. During their talk, Molly discusses the seizure of illicit...
Published 05/15/24