Environmental Crimes

Environmental crimes encompass a wide spectrum of unlawful acts that damage ecosystems, threaten public health, and generate substantial illicit profits for organized crime. This chapter examines offenses such as the illegal dumping of hazardous waste, unregulated mining and logging, and fraudulent handling of chemicals or carbon credits. Because these crimes are often hidden within legitimate industrial activity and masked by falsified permits or corrupt intermediaries, they are difficult to detect until significant harm occurs. By outlining key modus operandi variables – ranging from false documentation and covert transport to bribery and data manipulation – the chapter provides a framework for recognizing repeat patterns across pollution, resource exploitation, and climate-related fraud. It also explores the convergence of environmental crime networks with other transnational crimes such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and terrorism financing, illustrating how environmental harm is embedded in broader organized crime systems. The chapter offers critical thinking guidance and practical exercises designed to help law enforcement officers, analysts, and students identify indicators of systemic environmental offenses and develop proactive investigative strategies.