11 February 2014
Operation COBRA II Announces Seizures and Arrests
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Operation COBRA II, a month-long global operation to combat illegal wildlife trade led by officers from 28 countries, concluded with over 400 arrests in Asia and Africa and more than 350 seizures of illegal wildlife goods.

CITES10 February 2014: Operation COBRA II, a month-long global operation to combat illegal wildlife trade led by officers from 28 countries, concluded with over 400 arrests in Asia and Africa and more than 350 seizures of illegal wildlife goods.

Operation COBRA II focused on key species subject to illegal trade and intercepted specimens of cheetah, pangolin, leopard, rosewood, snake, tiger and turtle. The Operation also resulted in the seizure of 36 rhino horns, over 3 metric tons of elephant ivory, and more than 200 metric tons of rosewood logs.

The Operation was organized by the Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF), China, the US, South Africa, the Association of South East Asia Nations Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) and the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN), and was coordinated by International Coordination Teams located in Nairobi, Kenya and Bangkok, Thailand. The CITES Secretary General’s Certificate of Commendation will be awarded to the authorities that participated in Operation COBRA II, in recognition of their contribution to the fight against wildlife crime.

Leading up to the Operation, the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) organized a two-day training workshop for officers and representatives from Wildlife Enforcement Networks (WENs) that participated in the Operation. [CITES News] [Operation Cobra II Press Release]

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