ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates that the interconnection between the legal and illegal trade in wildlife appears to provide opportunities to launder valuable wildlife, and thus money. It analyses the involvement of legitimate companies in wildlife laundering; how actors transform financial profits obtained from trading in illegal wildlife and related offences into legitimate assets; and sheds light on the interaction between the criminal underworld and the upper world in the context of wildlife trafficking. Commercial traders in all kinds of wildlife also have plenty of opportunities to launder protected wildlife. The involvement of zoos and sanctuaries in the illegal wildlife trade is only incidentally mentioned. The wildlife trade may also be a cover to launder illegal money from other serious crimes, such as drug offences. For example, an agreement with an owner of a timber company provided a perfect cover to launder money from the sale of drugs.
