Stephen Then, The Star 4 Jun 08;
MIRI: The Asean Wildlife Enforcement Network (Asean-Wen) is to launch an all-out region-wide offensive against traffickers and dealers of wildlife and wildife products in an effort to stop this illegal trade.
Member countries will liaise with Interpol, the United States and international bodies.
Enforcement agencies from the 10 Asean members -- Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos -- gathered in the Laotian capital of Vientiane for two days last week and mapped out an action plan that includes hunting major syndicates involved in this illicit trade.
Enforcement agencies involved in Asean-Wen's "anti wildlife-crimes task force" include police, customs and environmental protection bodies.
"The Asean-Wen anti wildlife-crimes task force has mapped out the next phase of our battle against wildlife crimes in the region," Asean-Wen Coordination Unit senior liaison officer Klairoong PoonPon told The Star on Wednesday.
The meeting in Vientiane discussed strategies to improve investigations, share intelligence, coordinate cross-border enforcement measures, develop databases and establish an Asean-Wen training library, he said from the Asean-Wen headquarters in Bangkok.
