By Alex Yeager

The controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was signed on February 4^th, but awaits congressional ratification.  Only Malaysia has ratified the pact thus far, while the other 10 countries involved still require further steps to put the treaty into force. Even if Congressional approval proves to be less challenging than expected, the deal is likely to face further hurdles. Presidential candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties have expressed opposition to the deal, which would be the largest regional free trade agreement signed by the US in history.

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February 17, 2016

By Phillip Yu

Wikimedia Commons

Half a decade ago, Thai and Spanish authorities arrested Muhammed Ather "Tony" Butt and Ahboor Rambarak Fath and uncovered more than 1,000 stolen passports from North America and Asia. Besides selling falsified passports to international criminal groups involved in arms trafficking and human trafficking, Butt also allegedly supplied passports to the terrorist group accused of plotting the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Organized passport fraud allegedly began in Thailand in the 1980s with stolen passports now selling between $1,500 and $3,000 each depending on country of issuance.

While there is no evidence yet that the recently vanished Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 was the victim of a terror attack, the news that two passengers were travelling on passports stolen in Thailand has raised tremendous concern about Thailand’s illegal market for stolen or falsified passports. 

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March 15, 2014

By Aliza Kempner

The Malaysian government is getting serious about ending the illegal ivory trade and is calling on the wildlife trade monitoring network group TRAFFIC for guidance.

Over the last five years, Malaysian ports have seen close to 45 tons of illegally traded African Elephant ivory pass through. Under the new program, employees of the Malaysian Customs Department will receive ivory identification training, discuss smuggling techniques and routes, and talk about opportunities and solutions for ending Malaysia’s role as a transit hub for the pricey and harmful commodity.

Participating officers include those specifically assigned to oversee the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulations.

Read more about what TRAFFIC has to say about this innovative program. 

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September 19, 2013