OUR WORK
Illegal Wildlife Crime Investigations
The Endangered Species Protection Agency specialist investigations and intelligence teams gather evidence using ground teams, specialist equipment, remote digital tools, and works with local enforcement agencies to effectively case-build against wildlife criminals.
We carry out investigations using all the resources at our disposal, including local intelligence, evidential leads, and careful analysis of technical evidence. We will, where appropriate and safe to do so, engage with the authorities. We work with local and international law enforcement authorities, who are the ones to make arrests, searches and seizures.
In the event of an evidential gap, such as with technical evidence or forensic evidence, or if there is no expert facility to properly analyse that evidence, we will commission the services of experts to provide expert evidence and assist in the investigation.
Working with the appropriate authorities
When an investigation is on-going, we can advise whether there is a realistic prospect of conviction at any stage of the investigation (regardless of which jurisdiction the suspects are operating in). We will engage with international entities, and will aim to ‘offer up’ evidence to the appropriate authorities at the right time to secure a conviction, extradition, or freezing of criminal assets, as appropriate.
Confidentiality and Sensitivity
Investigative services are, by their very nature, sensitively run, and ESPA has comprehensive privacy and security procedures in place.
State-of-the-art technology and methods
Investigations are an applied science that involves the study of facts, used to identify, locate and prove the guilt of criminals. A complete criminal investigation will include searches, evidence collection, interviews, preservation/forensic science, and many other methods of investigation. We employ many state-of-the-art scientific techniques to combat wildlife crime, and help bring perpetrators to justice.
