With it a black market － profitable, but less risky than those for drugs and human trafficking － has emerged. Lax law enforcement has also enabled wildlife trafficking to thrive and markets to grow. The Golden Triangle, a border area where Thailand, Myanmar, Lao PDR and China meet, is a hotspot of cross-border trafficking, illegal wildlife trade and consumption.

To improve cross-border collaboration and inter-agency cooperation among law enforcement agencies for combating wildlife trafficking in the border provinces of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, WWF has joined hands with TRAFFIC and the Wildlife Justice Commission to strengthen the technical capacity of relevant agencies. With the support of key government institutions, our aim is to secure effective intra and inter-governmental actions to stop trafficking and close wildlife markets by:

• Improving law enforcement effectiveness at key border crossings and establishing communication channels across borders
• Building partnerships with governments, NGOs, and intergovernmental organisations to leverage commitments to provide the information, skills, and tools needed for effective action
• Improve prosecutions of wildlife crimes