Connections to organised crime

Investigation by The Donkey Sanctuary, citing findings from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School and Wildlife Conservation Unit (WildCRU), has revealed the shocking exploitation of the donkey skin trade by organised crime.

As demand for ejiao has rocketed, so has the global price of donkey skins. Skin traders now look for a supply of donkey skins at any cost.

This lucrative yet dirty market is thriving. It has attracted international donkey traders and organised criminals from across the world.

The Donkey Sanctuary first saw a link between the donkey skin trade and wildlife crime in 2016 after finding online traders offering illegal wildlife products alongside donkey skins.

The scale, severity and seriousness of the illegality is shocking.

The legality of the donkey skin trade is often ambiguous, and traders exploit this ambiguity for their benefit.

Trade and shipping channels used by skin traders are exploited by criminals engaged in wildlife, arms and drug trafficking and other illegal activities such as money laundering, passport fraud and corruption. Donkey skins and other illicit items are distributed using established shipping channels, using vague and misleading labelling to avoid detection.

These activities are often conducted in plain sight. Unregulated eCommerce websites and well-known social media platforms have been found selling donkey skins alongside illegal goods.