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<p>This Government recognises the importance of tackling wildlife crime, which is
why, along with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office directly
funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) to help tackle these crimes.</p><p>The NWCU provides
intelligence, analysis and investigative assistance to the police and other law enforcement
agencies across the UK to support them in investigating wildlife crime. This includes
supporting cases referred by Border Force to the National Crime Agency or to individual
forces. The NWCU is also the UK policing focal point for EUROPOL and INTERPOL wildlife
crime activity.</p><p>The NWCU uses this information to produce strategic and tactical
assessments of wildlife crime across the UK. These assessments also take into consideration
the views of the Wildlife Crime Conservation Advisory Group, which highlight priorities
based on the conservation status of specific species and review all other non-priority
intelligence to identify any emerging threats. It is these assessments which ultimately
drive the operational response to tackling wildlife crime in the UK.</p><p>We will
keep under review any legislative proposals to increase the range of wildlife crimes
that have notifiable status. If a non-notifiable wildlife crime is reported to police
it can still be investigated. Chief Constables have operational independence to tackle
the crimes that matter most to their communities.</p>
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