Namibië het 'n deurgangsroete geword vir perlemoensmokkelary vanuit Suid-Afrika na China. Volgens 'n 2022-verslag oor wildbeskerming en wetstoepassing in Namibië is die bestaan van wettige perlemoenboerdery in Namibië gebruik as ’n front vir vervalste dokumentasie van perlemoenbesendings waarop beslag gelê is. Luidens die verslag smokkel Suid-Afrikaanse kartelle toenemend perlemoen via buurlande om onder die radar te bly. 'n Groot oorgrens-smokkeloperasie is in 2022 by Warmbad in die suide van Namibië oopgevlek, terwyl groot besendings in vorige jare by die Internasionale Lughawe Hosea Kutako en ander doeanepunte onderskep is. "Namibië werk nou saam met eweknieë in Suid-Afrika om die onwettige handel 'n nekslag toe te dien."

Namibia has become a transit route for abalone smuggling from South Africa to China. According to a 2022 report on wildlife protection and law enforcement in Namibia, the existence of legal abalone farming in Namibia was used as a front for falsified documentation of seized abalone shipments. According to the report, South African cartels are increasingly smuggling abalone via neighboring countries to stay under the radar. A large cross-border smuggling operation was uncovered at Warmbad in the south of Namibia in 2022, while large shipments were intercepted at Hosea Kutako International Airport and other customs points in previous years. "Namibia is now working with counterparts in South Africa to deal a blow to the illegal trade."