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Natural Resources
Environmental Crime
Threat Issue
Internationally, environmental crime is often linked to areas of the world undermined by underdevelopment, political corruption, abuse of power, and violent conflict.The types of offences under the category of environmental crime range from poaching and capturing rare and endangered species of flora and fauna (to either be sold as food in local markets, specialty foods to national and international markets, medicines or as live additions to private collections), to the illegal harvesting of timber, illegal gemstone and mineral mining and the illegal transport and disposal of hazardous waste, among others. Many of these crimes are facilitated by complicit political and governmental officials that either oversee the operations, or take a percentage of the profits from the illegal operators. Often, these crimes are a means of funding weak and unstable governments and their political elite, a breakaway region seeking some form of autonomy and/or independence, or to fund an armed conflict.
“Organized crime has a negative impact on Canadians and communities across the country. The Canadian Forces Provost Marshal, the military’s chief of police, is committed to preventing organized crime activity, and military police detachments across the country will co-operate with our civilian police and law enforcement partners in this endeavour.” Captain Steve Moore, |
The environmental crime situation in Canada is quite different than it is in many other parts of the world because of the regulatory oversight at all levels of government and their agencies. It would therefore be unlikely that Canada would experience environmental crimes at the level of those witnessed in other parts of the world. Nevertheless, Canada is concerned by this type of criminality abroad because of its harmful effects on social and economic development, on democracy and governance, and on the local and global environment.
Overview of Criminal Activity
In Canada, the environmental crime category encompasses a diverse set of offenses such as the trade in endangered species, the illegal, unreported and unregulated harvesting of flora, fauna and minerals, and dumping of waste (hazardous and not). Environmental crimes can also result from other criminal activities such as methamphetamine production and marihuana grow operations (See: Illicit Drug Section).
Because environmental issues spill-over beyond provincial and national borders and into the international arena, many of the rules and regulations in Canada are the product of or reflect the international commitments taken on by the Canadian government as a signatory of international treaties and agreements. Moreover, as this criminal market covers many disparate types of crime that fall under the jurisdictions of several different government agencies and departments, co-operation and coordination between them and their international partners is crucial to the prevention of environmental crimes and prosecution of their perpetrators.
It is more useful to look at the issue of environmental crime from a market perspective, than to limit it to the crimes committed.This is especially true in the trade of endangered species and other rare fauna and flora. As is the case in the market for art works and cultural artifacts, the market for endangered species is dominated by collectors and devotees of the flora and fauna in question.
It would appear that for most endangered (and not) species of wild flora and fauna there are individuals and groups that collect, trade, buy and sell them. Following market principles, the scarcity of a species (in this case its endangered status) increases its allure and its price.Although established organized crime groups may not have a non-monetary interest in these endangered species, the profit potential is evident to them and therefore drives their involvement in this trade.
Moreover, organized crime’s involvement is also facilitated by its access to pre-existing trade routes along which illicit drugs, contraband and humans are smuggled. Certain organized crime groups have also, for the sake of expedience or in the hopes of deterring inspection, at times combined shipments of illicit drugs and fauna. For instance, boa constrictors, giant snails, crocodilians and tarantulas have been found packed with illegal drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
Recently, a Canadian was charged for allegedly selling endangered species (animals and parts) on the internet.The animals included an African elephant, sperm whale, Himalayan pheasant, birds of paradise, walrus and long-eared owl. |
Internationally, poaching appears to be carried out on an ad hoc and opportunistic basis by sophisticated criminal organizations with wellestablished national and international connections needed to organize the harvesting and distribution of the resource. Canada is known to have been the destination for some poached products, such as Australian shark fin, as well as an exporter and trans-shipment point.Animals are not only poached for their meat, but also for selected body parts that are used for medicinal and/or spiritual reasons, for clothing and other fashion accessories, souvenirs and art work. For instance, the bile from bear gallbladders is extremely prized as a traditional Chinese medicine, while eagle feathers and talons are prized for their ceremonial and spiritual values.
Negative Socio-economic Effects
Although the market for poached animals such as caribou, moose, salmon and other fish, and migratory birds in Canada appears largely limited to the communities in which the poachers ply their trades, larger markets for specific meats do exist and may drive certain poaching operations to attain commercial levels.The sale of poached meat (foul, fish or mammal) could conceivably become a public health issue given that its butchering, storage and transportation would be unregulated, and therefore its quality and safety could not be guaranteed.
Poaching can also have harmful short- and long-term effects on the species in question, whether it is endangered or not. It is likely that the poaching of endangered species, whose stocks are diminishing either regionally or internationally, could prove disastrous by undermining its sustainability or lead to its outright disappearance.
In February 2005, some 40 bald eagle carcasses were discovered in the Vancouver area.The eagles had been poached for their feathers, talons and other parts, which were destined for the North American black market, and made available to collectors of all kinds. |
Organized crime becomes involved in certain activities and markets when there are shortages of a commodity or a service.Their involvement in activities such as poaching and wildlife trafficking threatens the ecological diversity of the country and the planet, while the environmental ramifications of certain criminal activities will be felt in communities of all types and sizes, the costs of which will linger for many years.
