Interpol Releases First Ever List of Most Wanted Environmental Criminals

Interpol has released the first ever list of the world's most wanted environmental criminals.

The nine criminals who appear on the list are wanted in 36 countries for offences including wildlife trafficking, illegally dumping toxic waste and the trade in illegal ivory.

The list has been released by the agency as part of operation International Fugitive Round Up and Arrest (Infra) Terra, which is targeting 139 criminals in total.

Interpol appealed to the public for help in tracking down those on its list.

"Even the smallest detail, which you might think is insignificant, has the potential to break a case wide open when combined with other evidence the police already have," said Ioannis Kokkinis, Criminal Intelligence Officer with Interpol's Fugitive Investigative Support unit, which is coordinating Infra Terra.

"Sometimes all it takes is a fresh pair of eyes to bring new momentum to an investigation and provide the missing clue which will help locate these wanted individuals, some of whom have been evading justice for years," he added.

The launch of the operation comes amid a wave of environmental crime, which the agency estimates to be worth $70 bn to $213 bn annually.

Revenue from the crimes is believed by Interpol to fund organised crime gangs and terrorist groups including al-Shabaab in Somalia.

Among the wanted are Sergey Darminov, 50, wanted in connection with an illegal crab fishing operation in Russia that netted $450m.

Italian Adriano Giacobone, 57, is wanted for illegally dumping toxic waste, with other offences including kidnapping and violence against a police officer.

Ahmed Kamran, 29, is wanted for exporting a menagerie of animals, including giraffes and impalas from Tanzania to Qatar on board a military plane in 2010.

Interpol officials said that Infra Terra is modelled on previous Interpol campaigns to track down paedophiles, drugs traffickers and terrorists.

"We believe that the capture of these criminals on the run will contribute to the dismantlement of transnational organised crime groups who have turned environmental exploitation into a professional business with lucrative revenues," said Stefano Carvelli, Head of Interpol's Fugitive Investigative Support unit.