The Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt (END) Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016 primarily addresses wildlife trafficking as a form of what?

The Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt (END) Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016 fundamentally addresses wildlife trafficking as a form of organized crime. This classification emphasizes the serious and structured nature of wildlife trafficking operations, which often involve sophisticated networks that span across borders and engage in illicit activities for profit.

By recognizing wildlife trafficking as organized crime, the Act allows for stronger enforcement tools and international cooperation to combat these enterprises. It also highlights the need for a comprehensive approach that includes law enforcement, legal frameworks, and collaboration with various stakeholders to dismantle the networks that perpetuate the illegal wildlife trade. This perspective underscores the severity of the issue, aligning it with other forms of organized crime that threaten not only biodiversity but also national security and public safety.

In contrast, the other options do not adequately capture the complex and serious nature of wildlife trafficking. For example, categorizing it as an environmental misdemeanor or a civil infraction would imply a lesser degree of criminality, which is not reflective of the scale and organized nature of wildlife trafficking operations. Similarly, framing it as a foreign trade violation would miss the comprehensive scope of the illicit networks involved and the various local, national, and international impacts of wildlife trafficking.