Tanzania's Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Ingonga, has called for a coordinated global effort to crack down on the financiers and masterminds behind wildlife trafficking. Speaking in Nairobi at the 10th Wildlife Inter-regional Enforcement Conference, Ingonga warned that prosecuting couriers and intercepting illegal shipments alone would not dismantle the multibillion-shilling trade. He emphasised the need for countries to strengthen intelligence sharing, coordinate investigations, and pursue joint prosecutions to combat the increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.
Ingonga cited the scale of the global illegal wildlife trade, with over 140,000 seizures recorded in 162 countries and territories between 2015 and 2021, involving approximately 4,000 species. He noted that the trade extended beyond iconic species like elephants and rhinoceroses to include reptiles, rare plants, and marine species. The DPP stressed that the response must go beyond confiscating wildlife products to include stronger prosecution-guided investigations, wildlife forensics, proper evidence handling, and asset recovery.
The DPP highlighted the importance of investigators and prosecutors working closely together from the beginning of investigations to ensure that evidence gathered could withstand scrutiny in court and help secure convictions against those directing the networks. He also pointed to the increasing use of technology by traffickers, warning that digital platforms, encrypted communications, and electronic payment systems were making it easier for criminal groups to coordinate activities and conceal financial transactions.
A recent operation in December 2025 involving authorities in Singapore and South Africa illustrated the cross-border nature of wildlife trafficking. The operation uncovered a shipment containing 55.4 kilogrammes of rhinoceros horns and other animal parts in Johannesburg, resulting in arrests. Ingonga emphasised the need for cooperation between countries in tracing shipments, identifying suspects, and building cases that extend beyond the point of interception.
The threat posed by wildlife trafficking also carries significant economic implications for Kenya, where tourism remains a major source of foreign exchange, employment, and livelihoods. The sector generated a record Sh500 billion in 2025, with earnings rising further to Sh564 billion in the 2025/26 financial year. Kenya received approximately 7.9 million visitors in 2025, comprising 2.7 million international tourists and 5.2 million domestic travellers.
The World Travel and Tourism Council estimated that the tourism sector contributed about $12.7 billion to Kenya's economy, equivalent to 9.3 per cent of gross domestic product, while supporting approximately 1.8 million jobs. Ingonga noted that wildlife protection was not merely an environmental concern but also an economic and constitutional obligation, invoking the constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment.
Ingonga reaffirmed the ODPP's commitment to strengthening prosecution-led investigations and working with international partners to improve the handling of wildlife crime cases. He said the ultimate objective should be to dismantle the criminal structures behind the illegal trade rather than concentrate exclusively on the individuals caught transporting wildlife products. The DPP's call for action underscores the need for a sustained commitment from both national institutions and international partners to protect wildlife and the environment.
Key points
- Tanzania's DPP Renson Ingonga calls for global cooperation to target wildlife trafficking masterminds.
- The illegal wildlife trade involves approximately 4,000 species and has significant economic implications for Kenya.
- The DPP emphasises the need for stronger prosecution-guided investigations and international cooperation to combat wildlife crime.
