Intelligence analysis

Intelligence Analysts hold a pivotal position in EIA’s wide-ranging investigative work. Their online research methods, social media investigations and intelligence analysis significantly enhance our understanding of environmental crime. This, in turn, helps to fill intelligence gaps and identify opportunities to curb the activities of organised crime groups, making a tangible impact on the global fight against environmental crime.

Intelligence analysts work closely with investigators, using the same techniques as the UK law enforcement and intelligence community to collate and analyse vast quantities of information on environmental crime. Together, they plan undercover operations and corroborate and build on findings using advanced open-source research techniques.

Intelligence analysts produce various outputs, from reports and company profiles to operational and strategic assessments. They share vital information with government law enforcement partners and financial institutions around the world to disrupt the activities of organised crime groups and their financial resources.

They also work closely with EIA campaigners to ensure our advocacy and campaigning work is based on up-to-date and accurate intelligence.

 

What is the role of an intelligence analyst?

As intelligence analysts at EIA, we need to make sense of sometimes disparate information by answering the ‘What? Why? When? Who? and How?’ questions of environmental crime, such as how a particular crime type or network might operate. In short, we connect the dots by looking at the big picture without missing the detail.

Our day-to-day is varied and we get to do many different things — from in-depth social media research and creating intricate network charts to attending environmental crime conferences and meetings with partners around the world and supporting our investigators during field investigations.

 

Detail of a pangolin trafficking chart ©️ EIA

Detail of a pangolin trafficking chart ©️ EIA

 

We review and analyse intelligence gathered by our investigators and conduct supplementary research to fill gaps and corroborate intelligence. We have built relationships with trusted government, law enforcement and NGO partners worldwide since intelligence sharing is an integral part of our job.

We also provide training and capacity-building for partners, for example, on intelligence processes or OSINT techniques. We do this because we believe that working with our partners and ensuring they have the resources and capability to conduct intelligence-led investigations is critical to disrupting organised crime groups and combatting environmental crime.

Besides having an analytical skillset, an understanding of intelligence processes and strong research skills, EIA’s intelligence analysts must also be comfortable with international travel. In fact, seeing different places, meeting like-minded people and working towards the same goals are what makes our job special.

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