Environmental crime has exploded worldwide in recent years. According to a report by INTERPOL and UNEP, environmental crime has increased at 2 to 3 times the rate of the global economy and is now the fourth-largest criminal sector after drug trafficking, counterfeit crimes and human trafficking. It is a massive problem, receiving massive attention. Similar trends are true for Namibia. Over the past decade, cases have skyrocketed from negligible to crisis levels - but over the past five years crime rates have been curbed through increasingly effective law enforcement. Yet, catching criminals is only half the work. What happens to the arrested perpetrators? And what will deter environmental crime in the long run? Namibia may be finding at least some of the answers. When independent Namibia was first confronted with modern, organised wildlife crime, the country was not prepared for the onslaught. After experiencing negligible losses while achieving significant conservation successes for more than 20 years, things changed rapidly and poignantly after 2010. Rhinos and elephants were particularly hard-hit, reaching a peak of 97 rhinos poached in 2015 and 101 elephants in 2016. Goaded by public outrage, including demonstrations in the streets, Namibia moved rapidly to counter the crisis.