Joint operation ensnares poachers

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A multinational operation, in which China played a leading role -resulted in the arrests of hundreds of wildlife poachers and was of global significance for the intelligence it gathered, experts said.

The operation, Cobra II, involved 28 countries from Asia, Africa and North America and sent a powerful message to poachers and smugglers, a US official said.

More than 400 suspects were arrested and tons of products were seized in the month-long operation that sent poachers a clear signal of China's zero-tolerance policy toward traffickers, said Wan Ziming, director of the Law Enforcement Department of the China Endangered Species Import and Export Management Office.

The operation, from Dec 30 to Jan 26, was launched a year after the first Cobra operation, which was initiated by China.

The operation was organized by China, the United States, South Africa, the Lusaka Agreement Task Force, ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network, and South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network.

China's authorities placed more than 100,000 personnel at the operation’s disposal. They helped uncover more than 200 cases involving over 250 suspects, accounting for more than half the total cases.

Cobra II won praise from the international community.

Edward Grace, deputy chief of the US Fish and Wildlife Service's office of Law Enforcement, said the operation sent a powerful message to poachers and smugglers across the globe that the world's endangered wildlife and plant resources are not theirs for the taking.

"Only as global partners can we protect the world's wildlife," he said.

Worth around $10 billion a year, the illicit trade in wildlife products ranks alongside arms, drugs and human trafficking as one of the most highly profitable crimes. And it is growing quickly, according to Wan.

Poachers are scouring the Amazon and Congo regions for animal hides or potions for wealthy clients.

Every year, about $1 billion worth of python skins are smuggled from Southeast Asia into Europe to meet the needs of the luxury goods industry.

Zhang Jianlong, director of the collaborative group and deputy director of the State Forestry Administration, said China will continue to cooperate with other countries to strengthen wildlife protection and fully fulfill its international obligations.

Questions:

1. What is the name of the multinational operation that resulted in the arrest of hundreds of poachers?

2. How many suspects were arrested?

3. How much is the illicit trade in wildlife worth?

Answers:

1. Cobra II.

2. More than 400.

3. Around $10 billion a year.

About the broadcaster:

Anne Ruisi is an editor at China Daily online with more than 30 years of experience as a newspaper editor and reporter. She has worked at newspapers in the U.S., including The Birmingham News in Alabama and City Newspaper of Rochester, N.Y.