th

8 ROUND OF MUTUAL EVALUATIONS

PREVENTING AND COMBATING ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 INSPEÇÃO
FISCALIZAÇÃO
PERITAGENS
 INSPECTION
LAW
ENFORCEMENT
EXPERTISE
INSTITUTE OF NATURE CONSERVATION
AND FORESTS
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FORESTS
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY TRANSITION

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE ROLE OF ICNF

NATIONAL AUTHORITY FOR NATURE AND BIODIVERSITY

CONSERVATION

NATIONAL FORESTAL AUTHORITY

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE ROLE OF ICNF
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSABILITY
MANAGEMENT AND SCIENTIFIC AUTHORITY FOR THE
CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES)

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE ROLE OF ICNF
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSABILITY
MANAGEMENT AND SCIENTIFIC AUTHORITY FOR THE
Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention)
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)
Convention on Biological Diversity
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention)
The European Landscape Convention

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE ROLE OF ICNF
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSABILITY
NATIONAL REPRESENTANT IN THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE OF THE

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE ROLE OF ICNF
NATIONAL RESPONSABILITY

MANAGEMENT OF
• NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY WOODS AND FORESTAL AREAS
• NATURA 2000
• NATIONAL PARKS
• NATURAL PARKS
• NATURAL RESERVES
• PROTECTED LANDSCAPES
• NATURAL MONUMENTS

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 LEGAL ASSIGNMENT
• ALL LEGISLATION AND THE LEGAL REGIME ABOUT NATURE AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
• SPECIAL STATUS LANDSCAPES
• LEGISLATION ABOUT TURISTIC AND MARITIME-TURISTIC COMPANIES
• LEGISLATION ABOUT HUNTING AND FISHING
• FORESTAL LAW
• FOREST FIRE LEGISLATION
• ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRA-ORDINATION PROCESS LEGAL REGIME
• THE PENAL CODE

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 ICNF COMPETENCE
• INSPECTORATE AND ENFORCEMENT

• MANDATORY PRONOUNCE

• ISSUE LICENCES AND AUTHORIZATIONS

• INSTRUCTION AND DECISION ON CONTRA-ORDINATION PROCESS

• JURISDICTION IN PORTUGAL MAINLAND

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE PENAL CODE
DAMAGE TO NATURE ̶ ARTICLE 278

WHO, NOT COMPLYING WITH LEGAL PROVISIONS, REGULATIONS OR OBLIGATIONS IMPOSED BY

THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROVISIONS:

• TO ELIMINATE, DESTROY OR CAPTURE SPECIMENS OF PROTECTED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA OR

FLORA OR ELIMINATE SPECIMENS OF FAUNA OR FLORA IN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER;
• DESTROYING OR SIGNIFICANTLY DETERIORATING PROTECTED NATURAL HABITAT OR
UNPROTECTED NATURAL HABITAT CAUSING TO THIS LOSS IN PROTECTED SPECIES OF WILD
FAUNA OR FLORA OR IN SIGNIFICANT NUMBER;
• SERIOUSLY AFFECT UNDERGROUND RESOURCES

SHALL BE PUNISHED BY PRISON SENTENCE FOR UP TO 5 YEARS

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade
 THE PENAL CODE
DAMAGE TO NATURE ̶ ARTICLE 278

WHO, NOT COMPLYING WITH LEGAL PROVISIONS, REGULATIONS OR OBLIGATIONS IMPOSED BY

THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROVISIONS:

• COMMERCIALIZE OR HOLD FOR COMMERCE PURPOSES SPECIMEN OF PROTECTED SPECIES OF WILD

FAUNA AND FLORA, LIVE OR DEAD, AND ANY PART OR PRODUCT OBTAINED THEREFROM;
SHALL BE PUNISHED BY PRISON SENTENCE FOR UP TO 2 YEARS OR FINE PENALTY UP TO 360 DAYS

• POSSESS OR HAVE IN OWNERSHIP SPECIMEN OF PROTECTED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA, DEAD
OR ALIVE;
SHALL BE PUNISHED BY PRISON SENTENCE FOR UP TO 1 YEAR OR FINE PENALTY UP TO 240 DAYS

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE PENAL CODE
DAMAGE TO NATURE ̶ ARTICLE 278
EXCEPTIONS AND SUBJECTIVE CONCEPTS:

THE CONDUCT IS NOT PUNISHABLE WHEN:

• THE NUMBER OF SPECIMENS HELD IS NOT SIGNIFICANT
• THE IMPACT ON CONSERVATION OF THE SPECIES CONCERNED IS NOT SIGNIFICANT

PORTUGUESE CRIMINAL LAW IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO ACTS COMMITTED OUTSIDE THE NATIONAL
TERRITORY:
• WHEN THEY CONSTITUTE THE OFFENSES REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 278, PROVIDED THAT THE AGENT IS
FOUND IN PORTUGAL AND CAN NOT BE EXTRADITED OR SURRENDERED AS A RESULT OF EXECUTION OF
A EUROPEAN ARREST WARRANT OR ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION INSTRUMENT LINKING
THE PORTUGUESE STATE.

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE PENAL CODE
VIOLATION OF URBANISTIC RULES ̶ ARTICLE 278-A

WHOEVER CARRIES OUT THE CONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION OR EXTENSION OF A PROPERTY ON A

PUBLIC HIGHWAY, NATIONAL ECOLOGICAL RESERVE, NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESERVE, PUBLIC DOMAIN
OR LAND SPECIALLY PROTECTED BY LEGAL PROVISION, AWARE OF THE NONCONFORMITY OF ITS CONDUCT
WITH THE URBAN NORMS,
SHALL BE PUNISHED BY PRISON SENTENCE FOR UP TO 3 YEARS OR FINE PENALTY

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE PENAL CODE
VIOLATION OF URBANISTIC RULES ̶ ARTICLE 278-A
WAIVER OR MITIGATION OF PENALTY ̶ ARTICLE 278-B
• IN THE CASES PROVIDED FOR IN THE PREVIOUS ARTICLE, A PENALTY MAY BE WAIVED IF THE AGENT,
PRIOR TO THE INITIATION OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS, DEMOLISHES THE WORK OR RESTORES THE
GROUND TO THE STATE PRIOR TO THE WORK.
• THE PENALTY IS ESPECIALLY MITIGATED IF THE AGENT DEMOLISHES THE WORK OR RESTORES THE
GROUND TO THE STATE PRIOR TO THE WORK UNTIL THE CLOSING OF THE TRIAL HEARING AT FIRST
INSTANCE

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE ASSIGNED LIABILITY
ICNF
• AS A GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY, WHENEVER HAS NEWS OF A CRIME COMMUNICATES IT TO
THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
DENUNCIATION IS MANDATORY, EVEN THOUGH THE PERPETRATORS OF CRIME ARE NOT KNOWN .

• PROVIDE TECHNICAL-BASED RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE TO

DETERMINE SUBJECTIVE CONCEPTS IN THE PENAL CODE:
…SIGNIFICANTLY DETERIORATING… OR …ELIMINATE SPECIMENS OF FAUNA OR FLORA IN A
SIGNIFICANT NUMBER.
• PROVIDE SCIENTIFICAL EXPERTISE FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE SPECIES OR
DETERMINATION OF THE MENACE DEGREE OF THE SPECIES OR POPULATION.
2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade
ILLEGAL CAPTURE OF PASSERINES

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

THE USE OF POISON IS FORBIDDEN BY THE BERN CONVENTION,
THE HUNTING LEGISLATION, THE LAW FOR THE PROTECTION OF
THE IBERIAN WOLF AND BY THE BIRDS AND HABITATS DIRECTIVES.

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE PARTICULAR CASE OF

• 25 000 TO 30 000 PRIMATES

• 9 TO 10 MILION ORCHIDS
• 3 TO 5 MILION LIVE BIRDS
• 500 000 PSITTACIDAE (PAROTS)
• 10 MILION REPTILE SKIN ENDANGERED SPECIES TRAFFIC WORLDWIDE
• 15 MILION MAMMAL SKIN
• 7 TO 8 MILION CACTUS
• MORE THEN 500 MILION OF TROPICAL FISH

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE PARTICULAR CASE OF

• PILGRIM FALCON 4600 – 20 000€

• PARROT IA – CITES 7500 – 50 000€
• 1Kg IVORY UP TO 2000€
• 1Kg RHINO HORN UP TO 75 000€ ENDANGERED SPECIES TRAFFIC WORLDWIDE
• ORCHID UP TO 2000€ VALUE PER SPECIMEN
• SPIX MACAW 500 000€
• CACTUS Euphorbia ingens UP TO 7500€
• 1Kg EUROPEAN EEL 6500€

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

THE PARTICULAR CASE OF

TO PORTUGAL:
IVORY AND RHINO HORN
EXOTIC WOOD
LIVE BIRDS

FROM PORTUGAL:
EUROPEAN GLASS EEL

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE PARTICULAR CASE OF

WHY PORTUGAL IS ENVOLVED?

• THE LINGUISTIC AFFINITY WITH AFRICA, BRAZIL AND LATIN AMERICA
• THE STRONG CULTURAL HERITAGE FROM AFRICAN EX-COLONIES
• THE STRATEGIC GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION OF PORTUGAL

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 THE PARTICULAR CASE OF

IT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME OF COMPARABLE PROPORTIONS TO

TRAFFICKING IN DRUGS AND HUMAN BEINGS.

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

THE PARTICULAR CASE OF

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 TRAFFIC OF EUROPEAN GLASS EEL
Anguilla anguilla

THE EUROPEAN GLASS EEL IS THE ONLY CITES LISTED SPECIES ILLEGAL TRADED FROM PORTUGAL

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 TRAFFIC OF EUROPEAN GLASS EEL
Anguilla anguilla

The fishing of "Anguilla anguilla", whether in adult (Eel) or young phase

(Glass eel), both in Portugal and in Europe, has always been part of the
tradition of the populations, however, due to the sensitive life cycle of
this species, which rises in the Sargasso Sea and spreads through the
european rivers and lakes, where it remains for years, and then returns
where it was born to reproduce and die, is extremely vulnerable to
overfishing.
In Portugal, the Minho River international section continues to be the
only watercourse where legal fishing is permitted.
2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade
 TRAFFIC OF EUROPEAN GLASS EEL
Anguilla anguilla
SMUGGLING METHOD:
• PLASTIC BAGS WITH WATER
INSIDE A SUITCASE ALSO
WITH PLASTIC BOTTLES OF
FROZEN WATER, TO KEEP
LOW TEMPERATURE

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 TRAFFIC OF EUROPEAN GLASS EEL
Anguilla anguilla

2018
• AIRPORTS: OPORTO; LISBON; FARO
• MOST COMMON DESTINATIONS: CHINA; VIETNAM
• TOTAL OF GLASS EEL SEIZURES: MORE THAN 1.5 TON.
• MORE THAN 30 ASIATIC CITIZENS ARRESTED
• WELL ORGANIZED CRIME NETWORKING
• HIGHLY PROFITABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

THE PURPOSE TO SELL IT IS ON THE BASIS OF ILLICIT
TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES
• PASSERINES
• PAROTS; BIRDS OF PREY
• IVORY
• PRIMATES
• ORCHIDS; CACTUS
• GLASS EEL
• CAVIAR
• EXOTIC WOOD

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

 TAKING ACTION
• UNDERSTAND THE PHENOMENON OF ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME WITH THE PRODUTION OF
INTELLIGENCE, CASE STUDIES AND EVALUATIONS
• PROMOTE COOPERATION AND COORDINATION WITH OTHER AUTORITIES TO JOIN EFFORTS
ON PREVENTING AND COMBATING ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME
• CONTINUE TO PRODUCE STRONG LEGISLATION WITH EFFECTIVE SANCTIONARY FRAME
• ASSIST THE COURT AND PUBLIC PROSECUTOR IN TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC EXPERTISE TO
PROMOTE EFFECTIVENESS IN CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
• CONTINUE TO PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
• CONTINUE TO PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade

DIVISÃO DE VIGILÂNCIA PREVENTIVA E FISCALIZAÇÃO

Direção Regional de Conservação da

Natureza e das Florestas
de
Lisboa e Vale do Tejo
2019 ICNF Gabinete de Auditoria e Qualidade