Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)
Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the Government of India under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to combat organized wildlife crime in the country.
WCCB has been created under under Section 38 (Z) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
The Bureau has it’s headquarter in New Delhi and five regional offices at Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Jabalpur; three sub-regional offices at Guwahati, Amritsar and Cochin; and five border units at Ramanathapuram, Gorakhpur, Motihari, Nathula and Moreh.
Functions of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)
- It is mandated to collect and collate intelligence related to organized wildlife crime activities.
- To disseminate the same to State and other enforcement agencies for immediate action so as to apprehend the criminals.
- To establish a centralized wildlife crime data bank.
- Co-ordinate actions by various agencies in connection with the enforcement of the provisions of the Act.
- It assist foreign authorities and international organization concerned to facilitate co-ordination and universal action for wildlife crime control.
- Capacity building of the wildlife crime enforcement agencies for scientific and professional investigation into wildlife crimes and assist State Governments to ensure success in prosecutions related to wildlife crimes.
- It advise the Government of India on issues relating to wildlife crimes having national and international ramifications, relevant policy and laws.
- It also assists and advises the Customs authorities in inspection of the consignments of flora & fauna as per the provisions of Wild Life Protection Act, CITES and EXIM Policy governing such an item.
United Nation Environment has awarded the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau of Ministry of Environment, Forests and climate change, Government of India with Asia Environmental Enforcement Awards, 2018 for excellent work done by Bureau in combating trans boundary environmental crime.
