U.S.FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PROVIDES TRAINING AGAINST

UNCLAS BRASILIA 002325

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

OES FOR LSPERLING; DGRIER; CDAWSON
FWS FOR JBIRCHELL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV TBIO ETRD KSCA BR
SUBJECT: U.S.FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PROVIDES TRAINING AGAINST
ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRAFFIC IN BRAZIL



1. Summary: A team of four officers from the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service (FWS),part of the U.S. Department of the
Interior, provided Brazilian Federal Police with a training course
to prevent and combat illegal wildlife trafficking over the two week
period of October 16-27, 2006. The U.S Delegation was headed by
special agent Jill Birchell and complemented by special agents Gary
Young, Marty Hernandez and forensics scientist Dyan Straughan. The
course, financed by the Narcotics Affairs Section at the Embassy,
took place in Bonito located in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso
do Sul, one of the richest regions of the country in terms of
Wildlife biodiversity. Both the United States and Brazilian Federal
Police believe the exchange of information will help disrupt
criminal organizations, in both countries, that profit from the
illegal trade in wildlife. End Summary


2. The training focused on exchanging information on each country's
national laws, international laws, surveillance, undercover
operations, interviewing techniques and proactive methods of
wildlife protection. This is the second joint training to take
place; the first occurred in Brasilia from February 14-25, 2005.
Brazilian and U.S. law enforcement agencies have exchanged
information on these issues for many years. It is believed that in
Brazil, as in most other countries of the world, traffickers in
wildlife use the same network to deliver their goods to the United
States as the drug traffickers. Worldwide trade in illegal species
is estimated to be US$ 10 billion and is believed to be the third
most lucrative endeavor of organized crime, only surpassed by
trafficking in drugs and weapons.


3. On Friday, October 13, 2006, a day before FWS team took off to
Bonito, Forensics Scientist, Dyan Straughan attended an informal
meeting requested by Brazil's Environmental Agency (IBAMA) in
Brasilia. Five IBAMA representatives, from various divisions such
as Fauna Affairs and Fishing Affairs Offices attended the meeting,
along with a representative from the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia.
Specialists were interested in many topics, especially forensics and
law enforcement issues, including the use of forensics in fighting
environmental crime. Since forensics is a very recent and
unexplored issue in Brazil, IBAMA raised many questions about
laboratories and infrastructure. Straughan gave an overview on the
topic and was then invited to visit, at some point in the future,
one of IBAMA's forensic laboratories currently under construction.
During the meeting, IBAMA also highlighted some of its developing
projects such as a genetic database for rare species. Throughout
the discussion, both parties exchanged information on how they were
dealing with specific crimes and illegal practices towards the
environment.


4. During the training course in Bonito, the topics covered were
case initiation and management, confidential informants, forensics,
surveillance, CITES, Lacey Act and other Federal laws, undercover
operations, intelligence, smuggling, raid planning, interviewing and
crime scene processing.


5. Marcus Luiz Barroso Barros, President of IBAMA, also
participated as a lecturer during the course taking advantage of the
fact that the "students" were the chiefs of the environmental law
enforcement divisions for each state in Brazil. Neiva Guedes,
coordinator of the Blue Macaw Project, delivered a two-hour
presentation on how the project is slowly increasing the numbers of
one of the rarest species of macaw in the world.


6. In addition to Barros and Guedes, other guests included Zulmar
Pimentel Dos Santos, Executive Director of the Brazilian Federal
Police (BFP),Mrio Jos De Oliveira Santos, Federal Police
Superintendent for the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, and Valmir
Gabriel Ortega, Head of IBAMA's Ecosystem Office.


7. Both print media and television networks positively covered the
October 13 press conference as well as training in Bonito.


8. Comment: Cooperation between the Brazilian Federal Police and
FWS actually began 10 years ago and over the ensuring period their
exchange of intelligence has led to convictions in both Brazil and
the State of Florida. It has proven to be a workable model in
meeting law enforcement and environmental protection goals in both
countries. Nevertheless, the problem of wildlife trafficking is
still serious in Brazil. This training conference was another
important step forward in improving Brazil's law enforcement
capacity in this area. The Embassy will continue to work with FWS
and the Federal Police to coordinate additional exchanges of best
practices, follow-up visits, and training. End Comment

SOBEL