By Abdullahi Lukman
A new report from the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) reveals significant disruption in the trafficking of pangolin scales and ivory from Africa to Asia, pointing to the success of targeted law enforcement operations and international cooperation in reducing these illegal activities.
The report, titled “Disruption and Disarray: An Analysis of Pangolin Scale and Ivory Trafficking, 2015–2024,” highlights a dramatic decline in large-scale seizures of pangolin scales and ivory since 2020, suggesting that the global criminal landscape has been significantly altered.
The report attributes this decline not only to the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic but also to sustained law enforcement efforts, including strategic arrests and prosecutions of high-level traffickers.
The WJC’s findings, which draw on seizure data, open-source research, and the Commission’s criminal intelligence, document that between 2015 and 2019, large-scale trafficking of pangolin scales and ivory was rampant, with multiple-ton seizures being reported regularly.
However, since 2020, such seizures have dropped sharply, with law enforcement efforts in African countries playing a crucial role in disrupting the supply chain before products could be exported.
The report also highlights the shifting dynamics in the trafficking of these illegal wildlife products. Major seizures are now taking place within African nations rather than at seaports, a sign that traffickers are adapting their operations to avoid detection.
In addition, there have been no significant pangolin scale seizures at seaports for the last three years, indicating a disruption in established trafficking routes.
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Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director of the WJC, expressed that the report underscores the effectiveness of focused, collaborative law enforcement strategies.
“This reduction in trafficking shows the critical impact of our efforts,” Swaak-Goldman said, adding, “By targeting kingpins and collaborating with agencies like the Nigeria Customs Service, we have effectively weakened criminal networks and disrupted the illegal trade at a global scale.”
Despite these successes, the WJC warns that gaps in intelligence still exist. It remains unclear whether trafficking has truly decreased or if it is simply being diverted to routes and methods that evade detection.
The report also stresses that criminal networks continue to adapt, diversifying their operations in response to increased law enforcement pressure.
To build on the progress made, the WJC has outlined several recommendations for future actions. These include prioritizing the dismantling of high-level criminal networks, enhancing intelligence-led investigations, targeting the profits from wildlife crime, and improving international cooperation through joint investigations and intelligence sharing.
The report also marks the WJC’s 10th anniversary in 2025. For a decade, the Commission has been at the forefront of global efforts to combat wildlife crime, conducting investigations and supporting law enforcement agencies around the world.
However, the WJC emphasized that the fight against wildlife trafficking is far from over.
The Commission’s findings serve as both a celebration of progress made and a call to action, urging continued collaboration and investment in law enforcement tools and international partnerships to disrupt these transnational criminal activities.
