Police, Customs and wildlife officers from Asia, Africa and the United States have announced the successful completion of an international enforcement operation aimed at cracking down on organized wildlife crime syndicates.
A press release Monday said the operation, code-named "Cobra," which ran between January 6 and February 5, was the first international effort of its kind to focus on the sharing of investigation information and enforcement efforts towards curtailing rampant wildlife crime.
The announcement said the operation yielded hundreds of arrests, seizures of assorted wildlife specimens from several endangered species, and arms and ammunition from poachers.
Operation COBRA was financially supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's African Elephant Conservation Fund, Royal Thai Police, China Wildlife Conservation Association and the FREELAND Foundation, with in-kind contributions by participating countries in North America, Africa and Asia.
A press release Monday said the operation, code-named "Cobra," which ran between January 6 and February 5, was the first international effort of its kind to focus on the sharing of investigation information and enforcement efforts towards curtailing rampant wildlife crime.
The announcement said the operation yielded hundreds of arrests, seizures of assorted wildlife specimens from several endangered species, and arms and ammunition from poachers.
Operation COBRA was financially supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's African Elephant Conservation Fund, Royal Thai Police, China Wildlife Conservation Association and the FREELAND Foundation, with in-kind contributions by participating countries in North America, Africa and Asia.