Wildlife traffickers creeping back as pandemic restrictions ease, says UN report

South-East Asia is likely to see a long-term increase in wildlife trade and trafficking, the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime warned. - AFP

SINGAPORE, Sept 21 (Reuters): After a drastic reduction in wildlife trafficking during the pandemic, authorities in South-East Asia must act swiftly to stop smugglers getting back in business once border controls are relaxed, according to a forthcoming UN report.

Traffickers' networks were disrupted as countries shut their borders and tightened surveillance when the coronavirus struck last year.