Compliance » The Most Lucrative Form Of Contraband

The Most Lucrative Form Of Contraband

August 12, 2022

Man hands sweeping money,business concept. Lucky man winning  lots of us dollar from gambling,with smiling face and black background.
Man hands sweeping money,business concept. Lucky man winning lots of us dollar from gambling,with smiling face and black background.

What is the most lucrative smuggling trade? Guns? Cocaine? No, neither. Parrots and other rare birds are far more lucrative contraband, according to a former smuggler and courier for an organized crime ring, who was interviewed by the Organized Crime and Corruption Project. There is an international system in place to regulate how rare birds can be traded and transported. Nevertheless it’s easy to move them across borders. Smugglers routinely use fake permits, and re-use the same ones several times. Border officials rarely spot the differences between permits, and they don’t know one bird from another. Because a single bird can be worth as much as $30,000, smugglers don’t care if most of their payload dies en route from the rainforest to the rare bird collectors and supposed conservationists who buy them. According to the interviewee, the enforcement system is full of loopholes, and traffickers make “astronomical” profits.”

Critical intelligence for general counsel

Stay on top of the latest news, solutions and best practices by reading Daily Updates from Today's General Counsel.

Daily Updates

Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest news and business legal developments.

Scroll to Top