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Rise of illicit trade in plastic and e-waste reported as WCO’s Operation DEMETER XI Delivers Record Results

• Annual operation prevents illicit waste, potent greenhouse gases, and other hazardous chemicals from further contaminating the environment.
• Plastic waste, E-waste, and textile waste are growing areas for criminal activity.
• Increased international and inter-agency cooperation and intelligence sharing supports strengthened supply chain integrity and the fight against illicit trade.

Operation DEMETER XI, the World Customs Organization’s (WCO) flagship enforcement operation targeting the illicit trade in waste and substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol, has delivered record-breaking results, underscoring Customs’ critical role in protecting society and safeguarding the global supply chain. The operation brought together a record 120 Customs administrations worldwide, resulting in 409 seizures and a substantial increase in the overall volume of intercepted illicit goods. 

Executed over five weeks with two operational phases, Operation DEMETER XI enabled Customs administrations to intensify information and intelligence exchange, follow up on high-risk consignments, verify suspicious shipments, and dynamically adapt risk profiles in real time. The operation was sponsored by the Customs Cooperation Fund – China and supported by the WCO’s global Regional Intelligence Liaison Office (RILO) network and eight international partner organizations^[1]. Key operational results include: 

• 15,509 tonnes of waste (a significant 57.6% increase compared to Operation DEMETER X) and 220,716 pieces of unweighed waste
• 168 tonnes of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
• 13 tonnes and 5,707 pieces of equipment containing or relying on substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol (excluding unsorted equipment classified as mixed waste)
• 8 tonnes and 30,009 pieces of other hazardous chemicals, including pesticides, mercury and mercury compounds, etc.

WCO Secretary General Ian Saunders, said: “The positive outcomes of Operation DEMETER XI reaffirm the vital role of Customs in protecting society and the environment. Through these enforcement activities we see first-hand the Customs community’s ability to support the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and meet the complex challenges of a circular economy. The WCO is committed to driving cooperation, coordinated action, and advanced tools to combat environmental crime and address rapidly evolving trends.” 

Operational observations across waste streams

Plastic waste, e-waste, and metal waste ranked highest in terms of the number of seizures. The Basel Convention E-waste Amendments, which entered into force on 1 January 2025, were reflected prominently in the results. This operation highlighted the need for stronger policy coordination between exporting and importing countries, particularly regarding consistent waste identification criteria. Notably, 63% of e-waste seizures were reported by exporting countries. 

For example, Indonesia Customs successfully returned multiple large e-waste shipments intercepted in free trade areas, working closely with the national environmental authority and free zone management agencies. Seizures of these goods were intelligence-led and have been instrumental in the development of relevant risk profiles.  

New focus on textile waste

For the first time, textile waste was prioritized under Operation DEMETER XI, reflecting emerging global concerns linked to fast fashion and circularity challenges. As a result, 1,176 tonnes of textile waste were stopped or returned across 25 seizures. 

Many participating Customs administrations reported significant regulatory gaps, particularly the absence of clear national criteria distinguishing used textiles from textile waste. This challenge is especially pronounced in developing and least developed countries where demand for second-hand clothing remains high and imported “bales of textiles” may vary widely in quality and usability. 

Strong partnerships underpin success

The success of Operation DEMETER XI was made possible through close inter-agency cooperation at both national and international levels, involving environmental authorities, police, armed forces, and other enforcement bodies. Notable examples include:

• The Gambia Revenue Authority expanded enforcement to border marketplaces through multi-agency cooperation and recorded the highest number of seizures during the operation.
• At the regional level, members of the EU Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL) played a key role by providing specialist environmental expertise and operational support to Customs authorities, strengthening the detection of illegal waste shipments and supporting follow-up actions, including investigations and the return of illegally shipped waste, where applicable.
• Tailored joint capacity-building activities, supported by the Basel Convention Secretariat, UNEP OzonAction and Green Customs Initiative Secretariat, enhanced Customs officers’ technical knowledge of MEAs and reinforced national enforcement networks.

Protecting supply chain integrity

A defining feature of Operation DEMETER XI was the enhanced exchange of information and intelligence. 

Analysis confirmed that port-hopping remains a prevalent smuggling tactic, particularly for maritime waste shipments. For Montreal Protocol-controlled substances, seizures revealed increasingly sophisticated trafficking routes, often involving multiple and unconventional transit points. 

These findings underscore the importance of timely, cross-border logistical information exchange to safeguard supply chain integrity, particularly in cases involving unplanned changes in transport mode, abandonment of goods, or potential insider facilitation. 

Next steps

Building on the success of Operation DEMETER XI, the WCO will continue to strengthen engagement with MEAs Secretariats to enhance policy coordination and develop targeted operational tools for Members. The WCO will also continue to support Members in advanced investigations to dismantle organized transnational criminal networks and address money laundering linked to environmental crime, in close cooperation with INTERPOL, Europol, OLAF, and other partners.

^[1] the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS Secretariat);

the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction;

the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF);

the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Passenger and Cargo Control Programme;

the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL);

the European Union Network for Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL);

the Green Customs Initiative (GCI);

the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol).

(source: https://www.wcoomd.org/en/media/newsroom/2026/january/rise-of-illicit-trade-in-plastic-and-e-waste-reported-as-wcos-operation-demeter-xi.aspx)