UNVEILING THE CRIMINAL NETWORKS BEHIND TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE IN THE NETHERLANDS AND THE EU

Criminals use the Netherlands to operate a network of illegal trade in traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) that contain endangered animals and plants. This is shown in a joint project and investigation by Dutch foundations SPOTS, IUCN NL, Bears in Mind and internationally-known Earth League International (an authority on criminal networks behind illegal wildlife trade). The findings of their investigation is shocking.

IUCN NL, stichting SPOTS, Bears in Mind and Earth League International (ELI) initiated a project to establish whether there is a market in the Netherlands for TCM containing illegally used and traded (wild)
animal parts and, if so, how these (wild) animal parts are smuggled into the Netherlands. On behalf of these organizations ELI was commissioned to investigate this trade. The intelligence-led operations started in September 2021 and ended in December 2022 and aimed to compile and analyze information on the trafficking routes, the main destinations, modus operandi and the key drivers. These findings were shared with the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) in 2023. They started a follow-up investigation, several warehouse searches were done, seizures made and an arrest took place. The investigation is still ongoing.

*Inspectors from the NVWA search through a substantial quantity of TCM produce (c) NVWA*

According to the latest TRAFFIC report on seizures of CITES-listed wildlife in the EU in 2021, the most
frequently seized commodity type was medicinals (plant-and animal-derived medicinals which
comprises medicines, extracts and cosmetics); accounting for 1,117 seizure records (27% of the total
2021 seizures). Animal-derived medicinals in 2021 accounted for 17% of the medicinals trade. Trade
continued in medicinal products containing i.e. seahorse and sturgeon, with an increase in seizures
of medicinal products involving rhino horn from < 1% in 2020 to 5% in 2021 (84 specimens). With 11% of
the total seizures in CITES-listed wildlife in the EU, the Netherlands takes the third position after Germany
(25%) and France (22%).

IUCN NL, stichting SPOTS, Bears in Mind and ELI also wish to raise awareness among politicians and the
wider public in the Netherlands about the issues and impact this trade of illegal TCM has on specific
species.

More details can be found in the full report here.