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2017 - The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) of India was awarded with the Secretary-General's Certificate of Commendation in recognition of exemplary work conducted to initiate and coordinate a national intelligence-driven law enforcement operation focused on the major Indian states affected by poaching of and illegal trade in live tortoises and turtles. The operation, code-named “Operation Save Kurma”, was conducted from 15 December 2016 to 30 January 2017, and resulted in the seizure of 15,912 live tortoises and turtles and the arrest of 55 suspects. See press release: Indian law enforcement operation seizes 16,000 tortoises and turtles and arrests 55 - gets recognized by CITES Secretary-General Certificate of Commendation |
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2017 - The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore was awarded with the Secretary-General's Certificate of Commendation in recognition of the great perseverance it demonstrated in securing successful convictions for illegal timber trade following the seizure of an illegal shipment of 3,235 metric tonnes (29,434 pieces) of CITES-listed rosewood (Dalbergia spp.) logs, on 14 March 2014. See Notification No. 2017/051 |
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2015 - The South African Police Service, National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa and Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife were awarded Secretary-General's Certificates of Commendation for their exemplary collective activities during the undercover Operation Whisper that led to the arrest of members of crime syndicates involved in rhinoceros poaching and the illegal international trade in rhinoceros horn. |
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2014 - The National Inter-agencies CITES Enforcement Coordination Group of China, the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Lusaka Agreement Task Force were awarded Secretary-General’s Certificates of Commendation for their exemplary collaboration that led to the dismantling of an international criminal syndicate smuggling ivory from Kenya to China. See Notification to the Parties No. 2014/034. |
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2014 - Nepal received the Secretary-General’s Certificate of Commendation in recognition of its exemplary efforts to combat wildlife crime. In 2011 no rhinoceroses, tigers, or elephants were illegally killed in Nepal, and in 2012 the country lost just one rhinoceros to poaching. See Notification to the Parties No. 2014/034. |
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2013 - Awarded jointly to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN), the Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) and the National Inter-agency CITES Enforcement Coordination Group (NICECG) of China, in recognition of their exemplary efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade during Operation Cobra. See press release on Operation Cobra and Notification to the Parties No. 2013/014. |
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2012 - National Inter-agency CITES Enforcement Coordination Group (NICECG) of China for the exemplary work undertaken under the auspices of the National Inter-agency CITES Enforcement Coordination Group (NICECG) in two national wildlife law enforcement operations across China in 2012. See the press release. |
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2012 - The Ports and Maritime Command of Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, and to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the CITES Management Authority of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China), for their exemplary work in in uncovering and intercepting an attempt at wildlife smuggling. See Notification to the Parties No. 2012/020) |
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2011 - The Blagoveshchensk Customs Office of the Federal Customs Service and the Amur Region Department of the Border Guard Service, Federal Security Service, Russian Federation, for their exemplary work in uncovering and intercepting an attempt at wildlife. See Notification to the Parties No. 2011/032) |
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2010 - The Airports of Thailand Public Company and the CITES Wildlife Checkpoint of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department of the Government of Thailand, at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, for intercepting an attempt to smuggle a live tiger cub out of the country. This demonstrated the importance of raising awareness of illegal trade in wildlife among port security personnel. (See Notification to the Parties No. 2010/030) |
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2010 – The Customs Administration of the Czech Republic and the Czech Environmental Inspectorate, for their long-term investigation into the smuggling of rare parrots, which involved: international liaison and the uncovering of widespread forgery of CITES-related documents, false declarations of captive-breeding; and use of fake marking rings. (See Notification to the Parties No. 2010/026 and the press release) |
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2009 – The Hai Phong office of the General Department of Customs of Viet Nam, for its exemplary work in intelligence gathering and risk-assessment leading (during the course of six months) to the seizure of over 8 tonnes of elephant ivory and significant quantities of turtle shell and pangolin scales. (See Notification to the Parties No. 2009/042) |
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2006 – Mr Lu Chuan of China, writer and director of the film, ‘Kekexili: Mountain Patrol’, for bringing to the attention of the international community the plight of the Tibetan antelope and the difficulties and hazards faced by the law enforcement officials tasked with protecting this animal and combating the criminals who kill it for its wool. (See Notification to the Parties No. 2006/044) |
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2006 – The Royal Chitwan National Park Authority and Royal Nepalese Army, Nepal, for their combined efforts to combat poaching of, and illegal trade in, specimens of endangered species such as leopards, rhinoceroses and tigers, resulting in the arrest of over 30 persons, many subsequently sentenced to imprisonment. (See Notification to the Parties No. 2006/020) |
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2004 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Department of Justice, Wildlife and Marine Resources Section, for their combined efforts to combat illicit trade in caviar, resulting (in a two-year period) in over 25 prosecutions, the majority involving sentences of imprisonment. (See Notification to the Parties No. 2004/038) |
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2003 – Mr Torkjel Rygnestad of the INTERPOL General Secretariat, in recognition of his commitment to wildlife law enforcement during his period of service with INTERPOL. (See Notification to the Parties No. 2003/060) |
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2003 – The crew of Hong Kong Customs Launch No. 9 and the CITES Management Authority of Hong Kong S.A.R., China, following their intensive search of a fishing vessel, which uncovered a carefully concealed and large quantity of ivory, and the subsequent prosecution and imprisonment of the vessel’s master. (See Notification to the Parties No. 2003/021) |