Stephen Then, The Star 4 May 08;
MIRI: Asean-Wildlife Enforcement Network (Asean-Wen) and the United States are establishing information-sharing channels to stop East-West wildlife crime.
In addition to fostering better regional and international cooperation, the Asean-US Wildlife Crime Forensics Exchange aims to increase the capacity of scientists to support the fight against wildlife crime.
Forensic science is often used to identify seized animals and plants and connect suspects with crime scenes and contraband.
As such, internationally renowned forensic experts from the US Federal Law Enforcement Laboratory conducted a two-week-long special course for a group of scientists in the United States.
“These scientists from Asean, Africa, Europe and South America were taught how to track criminals involved in wildlife poaching and smuggling, crime scene investigation, DNA extraction, genetic analysis, identification of ivory, fur and leather, how to analyse blood and bile and how to evaluate the circumstances causing the death of wildlife,” said Asean-Wen coordinating committee liaison officer Klairoong Poonpon.
“The comprehensive training that ended last Friday was carried out at the US Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement Laboratory in Oregon which houses the most advanced wildlife forensic laboratory in the world,” he said in an e-mail interview.
“The centre is already involved in investigating and prosecuting those involved in the smuggling of endangered Tibetan antelope products in the India-China-Thailand region.”
Last month, The Star had published a series of articles on the poaching and smuggling of endangered wildlife from the jungles of northern Sarawak following the discovery of abused trophy animals in the private farm of a businessman here.
Poonpon said wildlife poaching and smuggling had become one of the most lucrative black market businesses in the world.
Recognising that its member countries were plagued with widespread illegal wildlife trade, Asean set up Asean-Wen in 2005 to combat this crime, he said.
“Asean-Wen is now the world’s largest wildlife law enforcement network comprising enforcement agencies from Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam,” he said.
