𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞

The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) recently participated in an international meeting of law enforcement officers from 22 agencies and three (3) countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines – to share information and strategies to combat criminal networks involved in wildlife crimes. The event, which was held in Phuket, Thailand from May 2 to 5, was organized by the “TRIPOD” Project, a collaborative effort aimed at targeting regional investigations and policing opportunities for development.

The meeting brought together 39 law enforcement officers from various agencies who pledged to work together to stop wildlife crime in their regions, which pose a significant threat to the environment. The networking event was organized by Freeland, IFAW, and WWF, and was sponsored by the US Department of State-Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). This week’s Special Interest Group (SIG) was designed by Freeland to convert training into collaborative action.

The PCSDS expressed their commitment to the cause and their eagerness to network with other agencies to protect their region’s environment. Wildlife crimes, including trafficking of animals, have become a global problem, and this meeting served as an important step in addressing this issue. The event has helped strengthen international cooperation among agencies and countries, and it is hoped that it will lead to a significant reduction in wildlife crime.