Between 2015 and 2020, 93.3% of environmental crimes in Spain went unprosecuted. A collaborative study by WWF, the International Center for Environmental Law Studies (CIEDA-CIEMAT), the University of Granada (UGR), and the Institute for Advanced Social Studies (IESA-CSIC) tracked 4,902 reported cases, with only 327, or 6.67%, reaching court decisions.
The report highlights that among cases involving protected species, 1,773 offenses were noted, yet only 15 resulted in penalties. For alleged cases of species poisoning, 1,899 were documented, and judgments were secured in 26 instances.
The findings were shared at a technical conference held this week in the meeting room of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO).
During the sessions, experts examined the scale and consequences of wildlife crime, as well as the objectives and motivations behind Spain’s Plan of Action against Illegal Traffic and International Wild Species Poaching (TIFIES).
“Environmental crimes are highly technical offenses that demand substantial research and expertise. They require meticulous groundwork, case by case, without quick settlements,” stated José Antonio Alfaro, head of Europol’s Environmental Crime Fighting Team.
In the spectrum of environmental crimes, wildlife trafficking ranks as one of the most lucrative illicit activities, surpassed only by arms and drug trafficking, as explained by Diana Pérez-Arana, head of the regional division for the TIFIES plan at MITECO. The illegal market is estimated to move between 10,000 and 23,000 million euros annually.
“Exponential” growth
Recent years have seen a sharp rise in such activities, with certain species like rhinos, elephants, and tigers becoming prominent targets. At the time of Pérez-Arana’s presentation, the period from 2007 to 2014 saw the rhino-poaching rate surge by about 7,000 percent, climbing from 13 incidents to 1,200.
The removal of species from their natural habitats can trigger cascading ecological effects, disturbing ecosystem balance and impacting other species. Beyond habitat disruption, the release of confiscated animals as pets can introduce invasive species with profound biodiversity consequences, as Pérez-Arana notes.
Zebensui Morales-Reyes, a researcher at IESA-CSIC, emphasizes that smuggling live specimens is the leading form of wildlife trafficking in Spain, with coral smuggling accounting for about 15 percent.
Morales-Reyes adds that this is not solely a Spanish issue; it involves 74 countries in the international trade chain, with five intermediary nations and eleven destination countries.
Within the TIFIES framework, speakers underscored prevention, stronger enforcement of regulations, and enhanced international cooperation as priorities. WWF also called for greater specialization among judicial actors to increase prosecutions and reduce unresolved cases that linger in administrative channels.
WWF data show that poaching led to wildlife crimes in 1,773 cases, followed by 1,899 poisoning cases and 446 cases involving illegal catching or use.
Morales-Reyes stresses that awareness gaps are a primary driver of wildlife crime. He also highlights the importance of cross-border information sharing, inter-agency collaboration, and growing policing and judicial specialization to tackle these complex crimes.
In the fight against such offenses, MITECO works with the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Finance, with support from SEPRONA, the entry-point for customs surveillance of related goods, and in coordination with the Prosecutor’s Environmental Coordinator.
The Interior Ministry, alongside MITECO and SEPRONA, has integrated customs controls to monitor the flow of illegal wildlife products, with assistance from the Foreign Affairs and Finance ministries.
Pérez-Arana notes that cooperation with SEPRONA centers on officer training and operational support, reinforcing key practices to make operations more efficient and effective.
Other criminal activity
On the international stage, Europol’s cooperation enables monitoring of networks behind wildlife trafficking and waste smuggling. Alfaro explains that Europol produces reports (SOCTA) and, via the COSI framework, offers recommendations to the European Commission and Council.
Spain is recognized for its proactive role and ongoing leadership in these priorities, with room to improve in the coming years, according to Alfaro.
He warns that many intra-European smuggling cases are tied to money laundering and corruption.
Galván, a member of the National Plan to Combat Illegal Traffic and International Anti-Poaching, notes that wildlife trafficking often intersects with extortion, tax evasion, money laundering, and drug trafficking, among other crimes, and that there are numerous blind spots and surveillance gaps in transnational trafficking.
Both Alfaro and Galván reiterate the danger posed by ecosystem fragmentation, a concern echoed in the 2017 National Security Report and the December 2021 assessment.
The full report is cited in WWF and partner publications, highlighting ongoing analysis of enforcement and prevention gaps across borders.
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The environment department’s contact information has been removed from this document to protect privacy and ensure focus on the substance of the findings.