OPERATION JAGUAR: Final Report

Operation JAGUAR: Final Report

Los Angeles, March 2023. In 2019 Earth League International (ELI), in partnership with IUCN NL, launched ‘Operation JAGUAR’, generously funded by the Dutch Postcode Lottery. The primary objective of this program was to combat jaguar trafficking across Bolivia, Peru, Guyana, and Suriname, guided by four strategic avenues:

  • Systematically comprehend the scale, dynamics, and framework of jaguar trafficking.
  • Enhance anti-poaching and counter-illegal wildlife trade measures within jaguar habitats.
  • Enhance the proficiency of pivotal law enforcement and judicial agencies in countering wildlife trafficking.
  • Amplify governmental and public emphasis on combatting wildlife trafficking.

We can say that we have been successful in achieving all the objectives of the strategy lines.

 

A total of 75 Persons of Interest implicated in jaguar trafficking have been identified. These individuals are part of intricately structured networks, often intertwined with Chinese mafia syndicates that drive the procurement and trafficking of jaguar parts (mostly fangs and bones), which are sold in China as tiger parts.

Our investigations have also highlighted the convergence of crimes, linking jaguar parts trafficking with the illicit trade of other wildlife products, such as shark fins, as well as criminal activities like money laundering, human trafficking, and collaboration with drug traffickers

The release of a separate report exposing the criminal networks behind the jaguar trade in Bolivia sparked global media coverage, including significant attention from Chinese media outlets. This increased scrutiny led to the arrest of five jaguar traffickers in Bolivia in 2021, with additional individuals implicated in 2024, all with the support of Earth League International.

Confidential Intelligence Briefs (CIBs) were shared with the Bolivian, Peruvian, Dutch and American authorities for further investigation and action.

Additionally, ELI collaborated with the Washington Post on a story about our work in Suriname and the region.

Our findings were also presented to key stakeholders, including INTERPOL, UNODC, the Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, and the CITES Secretariat.

Download the report here: Operation-Jaguar-final-report_March-2023