Crime Pattern ID: Exotic Animal Trafficking

Pattern: Exotic Animals Trafficking

Victims: exotic animals and their owners/habitats

Perpetrators: organized crime as well as individuals, more extensive than weapons trafficking

Locations: exports from Africa and the Far East, may happen anywhere - your norm may be exotic somewhere else in the world

Times/Entry/Approach Methods/Weapons/Tools: vary - see Resources below

Vehicles/Transportation Routes: global problem with local indicators, US major destination for animals

Stolen Goods: exotic animals/animal parts, sometimes threatened and/or endangered species

Method: vary - see Resources below

Motive: profit, desire for animals or animal parts (fur, bones, etc)

Query Terms: birds, macaw, parrot, lizard, snake, bear, tiger, monkey, hedgehog, prairie dogs, names of specific animals, animal parts, hide, skin, bone, coral, conch, elephant, tusk, horn, frog, beetle, insect, iguana, cougar

Suggestions: be aware of indicators of this type of problem and query your reports on a regular basis to see if there are any indicators, stolen animals or reports including animals, communicate cross-jurisdictionally to uncover possible wide regional trends

Resources:

Exotic pet trade, explained

Illegal Wildlife Trade