illegal wildlife trade
Global Wildlife Trafficking Hits Record Levels in 2025: Interpol's Operation Thunder Intercepts 30,000 Animals
Dec 11, 2025 07:31 pm CST
Interpol reports unprecedented surge in wildlife trafficking with a record-breaking seizure of nearly 30,000 animals during Operation Thunder 2025. The $20 billion illegal industry spans exotic pets, endangered species parts, and bushmeat, with enforcement actions across 134 countries resulting in 1,100 suspect detentions.
Haiti's Criminal Networks Profit Millions from Endangered Baby Eel Trafficking to Asian Markets
Nov 18, 2025 01:44 pm CST
Criminal gangs in Haiti have established a lucrative trafficking network exporting endangered baby eels to Asian markets, generating millions in illicit profits. As the EU and Panama push for stricter international trade restrictions through CITES, Haitian fishermen work in dangerous conditions while powerful political figures use the unregulated industry to launder drug money, according to UN experts.
Endangered Silvery Gibbons Seized at Mumbai Airport: One Dead in Wildlife Trafficking Attempt
Oct 31, 2025 09:41 am CST
Mumbai Customs officials intercepted a passenger from Bangkok and seized two endangered silvery gibbons hidden in luggage at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. One of the critically endangered primates, native to Java and with fewer than 2,500 remaining in the wild, had already died during transport. The case highlights the dangers of wildlife trafficking and the low survival rates of exotic animals smuggled across borders.