An incredible document has landed on my desk, a policy position paper underpinning an article in the European Timber Trade Federation (ETTF) Summer 2018 Newsletter, which covered the views of a so-called ‘Large Yacht Industry Cluster’ regarding EU, US and Australian legislation on illegal timber
For those combatting transnational forest crime, the ability to identify and prevent stolen timber from import into domestic markets is a vital tool but for too long there has been no real international consensus as to how to judge whether timber has been legally acquired, leaving enforcement struggling to operate
In this Investigator blog, one of our undercover investigators shares his experiences on how the various stresses of the job are sometimes balanced with rewarding 'Eureka' moments where a sudden insight, made possible by diligent preparation and up-front field investigation, can lead to a breakthrough in investigations
In this Investigator blog, one of our investigators recalls his scariest moment of working undercover while on a timber investigation in Asia and being arrested after arousing suspicion. Going undercover is nerve-wracking but it's vital not to be overcome by fear and fully understand the risks involved in the work
In this Investigator blog, one of our undercover investigators talks about the stress of maintaining an undercover identity which has a drastic impact on personal life and means you may be contacted at any time. However, the importance of undercover investigations in exposing criminal activity is a powerful reward
Using false identities and front companies, EIA’s dedicated investigators are able to successfully pass themselves off to criminals as anything from traffickers in poached ivory to traders in illegal timber – all while documenting critical evidence on hidden recording devices. Now we offer a glimpse behind the scenes