The Illegal Trade in Chemicals

Online trade

Virtual trade platforms are yet another challenge for enforcement authorities. The trade is widespread across formal trading platforms, social media and similar forums. Research papers and reports on environmental crime mention the online trading of illegal goods (Yeo, McCrea and Roberts 2017; INTERPOL and IFAW 2013). Until now, research has focused on the trade in wildlife, particularly elephant ivory, which is the wildlife product most traded over the Internet

(INTERPOL and IFAW 2013). While the chemical trade receives less attention, some examples indicate its importance. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made a positive step by working out an agreement with Amazon to combat the illegal trade in pesticides on the basis of inspections and monitoring evidence (US EPA 2018a). And the private sector initiative, China Checkup, has attempted to warn customers about fraudulent suppliers on Alibaba (China Checkup 2015).

The Illegal Trade in Chemicals

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