The modern ivory trade is dominated by a small number of mafia-like organizations capable of paying off—or putting on the payroll—a reservoir of hunters and drivers enabled by a network of park rangers, police officers, customs officials, shipping agents, and freight forwarders, as well as detectives and judges to subvert court cases if things go wrong. Influential politicians are also paid to facilitate the process and to provide the syndicates with high-level protection. According to Adam M. Roberts, CEO of Born Free USA and Born Free Foundation, “There had been this concept that ivory poaching was somewhat opportunistic and being done on a small-scale by local people, but the level of sophistication is greater than we ever thought.”
Link: Yahoo! News