Sihanoukville SEZ Named as SEA Wildlife Traffic Hub
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 3:24 pm
From Mongabay:
Chinese special economic zones hotspots for wildlife trafficking, surveys say
by Sheryl Lee Tian Tong on 11 June 2021
From 2019 to 2020, market surveys from wildlife trade watchdog TRAFFIC found close to 78,000 illegal wildlife parts and products on sale in more than 1,000 outlets across Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia.
A significant part of this trade activity came from special economic zones established between local firms and Chinese companies, TRAFFIC revealed.
Chinese tourist demand had been an important driver of illegal wildlife trade in the Lower Mekong region before the COVID-19 travel restrictions.
While the pandemic has reduced trade activity, experts call for increased monitoring and investigations to dampen wildlife crime in the long term.
SINGAPORE — Special economic zones set up to promote trade between China and its Southeast Asian neighbors are facilitating a black-market trade in wildlife products, according to watchdog group TRAFFIC. Tens of thousands of prohibited wildlife parts and products are being sold across open and unregulated markets in five Southeast Asian countries, with a significant portion of trade activity coming from special economic zones, the group’s latest market surveys reveal.
From 2019 to 2020, TRAFFIC surveyors visited more than 1,000 outlets in select towns and cities across Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia. From pangolin scales to helmeted hornbill pendants, they counted close to 78,000 wildlife parts and products displayed in the two-year period. More than 70% of individual items sold were derived from elephants, in particular ivory products.
While COVID-19 travel restrictions generally reduced trade activity, with surveys in late 2020 showing items such as ivory sold in smaller volumes, the widespread availability of these products underscores the region’s ongoing struggle against wildlife crime, said TRAFFIC consultant Agkillah Maniam.
“The variety and prevalence of illegal wildlife trade in several locations emphasized that the circumstances facilitating illegal trade have not only remained but, in some cases, proliferated,” Maniam said in a press statement.
Among these locations are special economic zones set up by local firms and Chinese businesses, such as Boten and Bokeo in Laos, and Sihanoukville in Cambodia, TRAFFIC highlighted. While these zones exist to facilitate trade, investment and economic growth, their special business laws and focus on open trade have also contributed to flourishing illegal wildlife operations, Maniam said.
A large part of the demand for prohibited wildlife products in these regions comes from Chinese tourists, experts say.
https://news.mongabay.com/2021/06/chine ... rveys-say/
Chinese special economic zones hotspots for wildlife trafficking, surveys say
by Sheryl Lee Tian Tong on 11 June 2021
From 2019 to 2020, market surveys from wildlife trade watchdog TRAFFIC found close to 78,000 illegal wildlife parts and products on sale in more than 1,000 outlets across Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia.
A significant part of this trade activity came from special economic zones established between local firms and Chinese companies, TRAFFIC revealed.
Chinese tourist demand had been an important driver of illegal wildlife trade in the Lower Mekong region before the COVID-19 travel restrictions.
While the pandemic has reduced trade activity, experts call for increased monitoring and investigations to dampen wildlife crime in the long term.
SINGAPORE — Special economic zones set up to promote trade between China and its Southeast Asian neighbors are facilitating a black-market trade in wildlife products, according to watchdog group TRAFFIC. Tens of thousands of prohibited wildlife parts and products are being sold across open and unregulated markets in five Southeast Asian countries, with a significant portion of trade activity coming from special economic zones, the group’s latest market surveys reveal.
From 2019 to 2020, TRAFFIC surveyors visited more than 1,000 outlets in select towns and cities across Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia. From pangolin scales to helmeted hornbill pendants, they counted close to 78,000 wildlife parts and products displayed in the two-year period. More than 70% of individual items sold were derived from elephants, in particular ivory products.
While COVID-19 travel restrictions generally reduced trade activity, with surveys in late 2020 showing items such as ivory sold in smaller volumes, the widespread availability of these products underscores the region’s ongoing struggle against wildlife crime, said TRAFFIC consultant Agkillah Maniam.
“The variety and prevalence of illegal wildlife trade in several locations emphasized that the circumstances facilitating illegal trade have not only remained but, in some cases, proliferated,” Maniam said in a press statement.
Among these locations are special economic zones set up by local firms and Chinese businesses, such as Boten and Bokeo in Laos, and Sihanoukville in Cambodia, TRAFFIC highlighted. While these zones exist to facilitate trade, investment and economic growth, their special business laws and focus on open trade have also contributed to flourishing illegal wildlife operations, Maniam said.
A large part of the demand for prohibited wildlife products in these regions comes from Chinese tourists, experts say.
https://news.mongabay.com/2021/06/chine ... rveys-say/