Bangladesh Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo has called for stronger regional cooperation in South Asia to combat the growing threat of transnational and organised wildlife crime.
Speaking at the fi rst General Assembly of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) in Kathmandu on September 10, the minister stressed the need to strengthen regional intelligence sharing, coordinated law enforcement and joint operations.
He said wildlife and ecosystems do not recognise political borders, while criminal networks are increasingly using borders, transport routes, trade channels, online platforms and fi nancial systems to conduct wildlife traffi cking.
The minister called for law enforcement agencies to go beyond wildlife seizures and arrests and identify the organisers, fi nanciers and wider criminal networks behind such crimes.
He also urged authorities to use every seizure as an opportunity to gather intelligence on the source, routes, people involved, fi nancing and intended destinations.