India’s Wildlife Crime Control Bureau Wins UN Environment Award

Asia Environment Enforcement Awards, which recognize and celebrate excellence in enforcement by government officials and institutions/teams combatting trans-boundary environmental crime in Asia, this year, were given to recipients who demonstrated excellence and leadership in the categories of: Integrity, Impact, Innovation and Collaboration. India’s Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has been conferred the Award in Innovation category on adopting innovative enforcement techniques that have dramatically increased enforcement of trans-boundary environmental crimes in India. This is the Second time in a row the awards are being given by UN Environment to India.

Asia Environment Enforcement Awards – 2018 were presented on 21 November 2018 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok by UN Environment in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, INTERPOL, USAID, Freeland Foundation, and the Government of Sweden. Financing of the Awards was supported by different partners, including generous support from the Government of Norway. This is the third time the Awards were given by UN Environment following earlier ceremonies in 2015 and 2017.

This year’s Category wise award winners were:

Integrity:

• Le Thi Hang, Judge at Khanh Hoa People’s Court, Nha Trang, Vietnam
• Pillar 4 Central Investigation Bureau, Nepal Police
• Special Commendation: Mr. Wichien Chinnawong, Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary Chief, Thailand

Impact:

• Thailand Team, composed of the Thai Customs, the Royal Thai Police, and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation
• Wang Wei, Director of Investigation II of Anti-Smuggling Bureau of General Administration of China Customs

Innovation:

• Team of the Investigation and Suppression Division III of the Royal Thai Customs, under the Director Mr. Decha Wichaidit
• International Investigation Division, Korea Customs Service
• Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India

Collaboration:

• Joil bin Bombon, former Dept. of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia and Mr. R.S. Sharath, former Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, India

India’s Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has developed an online Wildlife Crime Database Management System to get real time data in order analyse trends in crime and devise effective measures to prevent and detect wildlife crimes across India.

This system has been successfully used to analyse trends, helping put in preventive measures as well as for successfully carrying out operations such as Operation SAVE KURMA, THUNDERBIRD, WILDNET, LESKNOW, BIRBIL, THUNDERSTORM, LESKNOW-II along with other enforcement agencies.

This system has resulted in arrest of 350 wildlife criminals and huge seizures of Tiger/Leopard Skin/bones and other trophies, Rhino Horn, Elephant Ivory, turtles/tortoises, Mongoose raw hairs as well as Mangoose hair bruses, protected birds, Marine products, live Pangolin as well as its scales, deer antlers etc. across all the states.

• WCCB is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the Government of India under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in June 2007, to combat organised wildlife crime in the country.
• Have its headquarters in New Delhi and five regional offices at Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Jabalpur.
• Is mandated to collect and collate intelligence related to organised wildlife crime activities and to disseminate the same to state and other enforcement agencies for immediate action so as to apprehend the criminals Under Section 38 (Z) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Is also mandated to establish a centralised wildlife crime data bank, assist foreign authorities and international organisations concerned to facilitate co-ordination and universal action for wildlife crime control and help in the capacity building of the wildlife crime.
• Can advise the Government of India on issues relating to wildlife crimes having national and international ramifications, relevant policy and laws.
• Assists and advises the Customs authorities in inspection of the consignments of flora and fauna as per the provisions of Wild Life Protection Act, CITES and EXIM Policy governing such an item.
• WCCB has also developed a scheme to enrol willing persons as WCCB Volunteers to involve the public in the fight against wildlife crime.