One of the biggest illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing networks starts in Europe, with the European eel. It's seen as the most sophisticated environmental crime, and the industry brings in $2.5 billion a year. 25% of European eels are smuggled into Asia every year. The world's biggest criminal networks are supporting this black market, and it could mean the European eel is extinct in ten years.
Even though it's illegal to sell European eel outside the EU, the fish are "laundered" via third countries. Until now, there hasn't been much reporting on how criminal networks work and what happens once the eels leave Europe. This transnational investigation used a systemic, data-driven approach and confidential sources to shed light on the smuggling route.
Image by Toru Hanai.
