Disentangling and Demystifying Illegal Wildlife Trade and Crime Convergence

Abstract

Illegal wildlife trade represents a significant and growing form of organized crime. In recent years, illegal wildlife trade has been increasingly reported as being perpetuated by the same people trafficking in drugs, humans, and arms, and committing acts of terrorism, a phenomenon often labelled “crime convergence”. However, limited empirical research has been conducted to understand the extent and nature of these convergences. This doctoral dissertation addresses that knowledge gap. This dissertation makes significant advancements in crime convergence theory and enriches the global empirical data. Through four interrelated studies, this dissertation illustrates that illegal wildlife trade is a complex form of crime that relates to a myriad of other serious and organised crime activities. The results also indicate that convergences themselves can take many forms, and therefore should be considered with a nuanced lens. The dissertation advocates for the adoption of more collaborative approaches to mitigate converging crimes. The studies also highlight that tectonic shifts are required to prioritise illegal wildlife trade more appropriately, and to combat the dynamic and innovative strategies of wildlife traffickers more effectively.