At $10 billion a year, illegal wildlife makes up the world's fifth-largest illicit market behind drugs, counterfeit products, trafficked people and smuggled oil. An intergovernmental conference in Geneva from July 7th 11th revealed the special worries about ivory smuggling in Thailand, rhino-horn trafficking through Mozambique and trade in tiger parts across South and South-East Asia. According to TRAFFIC, a lobby group, the street value of rhino horn is $60,000 per kilo-more than the price of gold .Gram for gram, a bear's gall bladder sells in Japan for more than six times as much as cocaine in Asia. Booming demand from Asia's growing middle classes is pushing some species close to extinction. As supply dwindles, prices rocket, which tempts criminal gangs to sink their claws in even further.
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