15 June 2011: Over 50 officials gathered for a training course in wildlife law enforcement and control of trade related to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Training topics included wildlife law; border control; smuggling concealment detection; wildlife shipment inspections; and the undertaking of controlled deliveries.

The training took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 6-10 June 2011. The trainees represented over 10 agencies, including the South Africa CITES Management Authority, the Customs Border Control Unit, Environmental Management Inspection, INTERPOL, a Police Narcotics Unit and Quarantine Services, as well as the CITES Secretariat.

Participants engaged in a practical exercise on detecting fraudulent documents, and visited the premises of a shipping company specializing in the export of hunting trophies, as well as the mail, cargo and passenger control areas at Johannesburg International Airport. [CITES Press Release]