Abstract
Environmental crimes are by their very nature a transnational issue. The threat of species extinction for instance is not confined to a single country. However, the protection of the environment often comes against the global development process or increased standards of living worldwide (Michalowski & Bitten 2005, p.156-157). Environmental crimes are often considered less serious offences than other types of transnational crimes, particularly drug, arms or human trafficking. Elliott (2007) argues that transnational environmental crimes are "undersecuritized", meaning that they are not considered as serious security threat by law-enforcing agencies. Michalowski & Bitten (2005, p.136-159) highlights the ambiguity in the nature of the crimes as only a small portion is subjected to legal control and as environmental issues are embedded in a complex web of social, economical and political interests (2005, p.149).
