GUWAHATI: In a bid to strengthen defences against the growing illegal wildlife trade, approximately 60 personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) stationed at the Guwahati international airport underwent intensive training sessions recently.
Conducted by a resource team from Aaranyak, a leading biodiversity conservation organisation, with support from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), these back-to-back workshops aimed to sensitise CISF personnel to the grave threat posed by the illicit wildlife trade to national security.
During the workshops, Dr Jimmy Borah, a senior manager at Aaranyak, and Project Officer Ivy Farheen Hussain delivered comprehensive presentations on the global landscape of wildlife crime and the modus operandi of smuggling networks operating through airports.
In an interactive exchange, CISF personnel, including women staff, engaged with the Aaranyak resource team, seeking clarifications and insights to better understand the nuances of combating wildlife trafficking within airport environments.
They elucidated the intricate links between wildlife trafficking, global drug cartels, and arms smuggling, highlighting how the illegal wildlife trade, estimated at a staggering $200 billion, poses a significant threat to national security.
The Aaranyak resource team shed light on the escalating trend of utilising air routes for wildlife trafficking due to factors such as expedited transshipment, enhanced convenience, lower costs, reduced risk of detection, and the presence of corrupt individuals facilitating illegal trade within airport environments.
The Aaranyak team underscored the importance of vigilance among CISF personnel, highlighting commonly trafficked wildlife products including pangolin scales, tiger parts, ivory, rhino horns, reptiles, and various other endangered species.
By equipping CISF personnel with this knowledge, the aim is to enhance their efficiency in identifying and thwarting smuggling attempts within airport premises.
The CISF, entrusted with safeguarding airports across the nation alongside its myriad other responsibilities, faces a mounting challenge in combating wildlife trafficking.
The training sessions conducted by Aaranyak serve as a proactive measure to empower CISF personnel in fulfilling their duties amidst the escalating threat posed by the illegal wildlife trade.
