Criminal syndicates target Namibia’s plants
Illegal harvesting and trafficking of plants have skyrocketed in Namibia over the past few years.
Arrests of suspects for crimes related to plants have increased from three in 2021 to 42 last year. According to the Namibia National Wildlife Protection Report for 2024, Namibian flora is clearly becoming increasingly popular in the ornamental-plant trade, driven by online marketing.
Statistics provided in the report showed that 1 211 plant products were seized last year and 18 cases related to plant crimes were registered, while nine cases were finalised.
Five suspects were convicted, resulting in a 56% conviction rate.
Focused efforts
The report said at least a part of the increase in arrests must be attributed to focused law-enforcement efforts, including proactive investigations into the online trade of Namibian plants.
“These investigations were motivated by the prolific trafficking of live plants reported from South Africa in recent years, particularly from the northern Cape and the Nama Karoo and Succulent Karoo biomes shared with Namibia.”
It said these biomes are home to a high number of attractive localised endemics,which fetch premium prices as ornamental plants.
Investigations related to active cases of live-plant trafficking, as well as broader probes into global trade dynamics, have revealed wide-ranging criminal connectivity, it noted. “Well-organised criminal syndicates with international connections are clearly targeting Namibian flora.”
Endemic and near-endemic Namibian plants are openly offered for sale on the internet. According to the report, many of these can be identified with a high degree of confidence as specimens illegally harvested from the wild, based on their growth forms and other characteristics.
Elephant’s foot
Elephant’s foot, which is classified as endemic to the Namib Desert, currently appears to be one of the most-targeted species, with 326 elephant foot plants poached last year. “Numerous seizures of large consignments of elephant’s foot plants have taken place over the past three years. The plant is extremely slow-growing and has a patchy distribution of localised stands. Unless poaching can be rapidly curbed, elephant’s foot may become extinct over much of its current range.”
The report further said that devil’s claw, harpagophytum zeyheri and harpagophytum procumbens are indigenous plant species in Namibia with valuable medicinal properties, which have become sought-after internationally.
Sustainable, legal harvests of devil’s claw tubers from wild plants have been providing an important source of income to rural communities for many years.
“Unfortunately, attempts to launder illegal harvests into the controlled legal trade continue to be uncovered. A number of illegal consignments of devil’s claw were seized in recent years, including 2023. Some of the material is illegally harvested in neighbouring countries and smuggled into Namibia.”
Timber harvesting
Furthermore, the report found that Namibia’s timber resources continue to suffer from illegal exploitation for three markets: Timber, firewood and charcoal.
A moratorium on timber harvesting has been in place since 2018 to protect vulnerable woodlands against overexploitation. Illegal harvesting of timber, laundered via legal stockpiles held since before the moratorium, has been identified as an issue of major concern.
The report added that cross-border trafficking of illegal timber between Namibia and neighbouring countries also remains a significant challenge.
Arrests of suspects for crimes related to plants have increased from three in 2021 to 42 last year. According to the Namibia National Wildlife Protection Report for 2024, Namibian flora is clearly becoming increasingly popular in the ornamental-plant trade, driven by online marketing.
Statistics provided in the report showed that 1 211 plant products were seized last year and 18 cases related to plant crimes were registered, while nine cases were finalised.
Five suspects were convicted, resulting in a 56% conviction rate.
Focused efforts
The report said at least a part of the increase in arrests must be attributed to focused law-enforcement efforts, including proactive investigations into the online trade of Namibian plants.
“These investigations were motivated by the prolific trafficking of live plants reported from South Africa in recent years, particularly from the northern Cape and the Nama Karoo and Succulent Karoo biomes shared with Namibia.”
It said these biomes are home to a high number of attractive localised endemics,which fetch premium prices as ornamental plants.
Investigations related to active cases of live-plant trafficking, as well as broader probes into global trade dynamics, have revealed wide-ranging criminal connectivity, it noted. “Well-organised criminal syndicates with international connections are clearly targeting Namibian flora.”
Endemic and near-endemic Namibian plants are openly offered for sale on the internet. According to the report, many of these can be identified with a high degree of confidence as specimens illegally harvested from the wild, based on their growth forms and other characteristics.
Elephant’s foot
Elephant’s foot, which is classified as endemic to the Namib Desert, currently appears to be one of the most-targeted species, with 326 elephant foot plants poached last year. “Numerous seizures of large consignments of elephant’s foot plants have taken place over the past three years. The plant is extremely slow-growing and has a patchy distribution of localised stands. Unless poaching can be rapidly curbed, elephant’s foot may become extinct over much of its current range.”
The report further said that devil’s claw, harpagophytum zeyheri and harpagophytum procumbens are indigenous plant species in Namibia with valuable medicinal properties, which have become sought-after internationally.
Sustainable, legal harvests of devil’s claw tubers from wild plants have been providing an important source of income to rural communities for many years.
“Unfortunately, attempts to launder illegal harvests into the controlled legal trade continue to be uncovered. A number of illegal consignments of devil’s claw were seized in recent years, including 2023. Some of the material is illegally harvested in neighbouring countries and smuggled into Namibia.”
Timber harvesting
Furthermore, the report found that Namibia’s timber resources continue to suffer from illegal exploitation for three markets: Timber, firewood and charcoal.
A moratorium on timber harvesting has been in place since 2018 to protect vulnerable woodlands against overexploitation. Illegal harvesting of timber, laundered via legal stockpiles held since before the moratorium, has been identified as an issue of major concern.
The report added that cross-border trafficking of illegal timber between Namibia and neighbouring countries also remains a significant challenge.
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