CONSERVATIONISTS should leverage on technologies for law enforcement, in dealing with new trends in illegal wildlife trafficking, a top cybercrime investigator has said.

With advancement in technology, criminals perpetrating illegal wildlife trade have increased use of digital platforms in conducting their activities.

Traffickers now use social media platforms like Instagram, and emerging payment methods such as cryptocurrencies.

This is in breach of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, which criminalises the use of computers or electrical devices as tools, targets or repositories of crime.

Speaking to journalists attending an advanced training on Environmental Journalism in the Modern Age this week, cybercrime investigator, Mr Ernest Agina, highlighted the many achievements of anti-cybercrimes programs such as the one carried out by African Wildlife Foundation (AWP).

He indicated some of the work he does as a cybercrime investigator.

“The gadgets are becoming smaller and smaller by the day for example if a law enforcement officer is to go and look for a microchip, how long will it take them to find out, so there are electronic sniffer dogs.

“We also have developed a curated key word list and images which we also use. We have a tool that acts as a black box for our artificial intelligence when it comes to patrolling the internet,” Mr Agina, a certified fraud examiner said.

Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo are priority countries for the implementation of the AWF cybercrimes program.

AWF also uses a digital and forensic results laboratory that can support CCTV forensic analysis as well as acquisition and analysis of iPhone and android phone data to fight wildlife crimes.

In addition, investigators are also equipped with tools like the first responders’ hand-book.

Mr Agina said while AWF trains law enforcement investigation agencies in using advanced technology in their line of duty, there remains a great need for wildlife law enforcement agencies to also equip themselves with new investigative skills.

As a measure of success of the programme, Mr Agina said the process has seen several online market places for illegal wildlife trading being identified.

To date AWF has partnered with 21 governmental agencies across the continent to boost the investigative capabilities of state bodies.

These trainings have resulted in these agencies conducting four special investigations.