DOJ Official Calls for Congressional Action to Combat Wildlife Trafficking
A top Justice Department official called on Congress to pass laws that toughen penalties for wildlife traffickers, during a panel discussion at the District of Columbia Bar Association on May 7. Bob Dreher, acting assistant attorney general-Environment and Natural Resources Division at DOJ, said the agency is working hard to fight wildlife trafficking, including by vigorous enforcement, training and capacity building in foreign countries, and implementation of the Obama administration’s National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking (see 14021126). But Congress can give it more tools by strengthening existing laws and adopting new legislation, said Dreher.
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Dreher identified three areas where Congressional action would be particularly useful. First, Congress should pass a law that makes wildlife trafficking crimes base offenses for money laundering charges, “so that wildlife traffickers can be held to account for using the proceeds of their crimes to facilitate or hide those crimes.” Second, legislation should authorize the forfeiture of the proceeds of illegal wildlife trafficking and increase fines and penalties. Third, Congress should provide that funds generated through prosecutions of wildlife traffickers be “productively directed toward conservation or further enforcement efforts,” said Dreher.