The aim of this hands-on webinar is to provide an overview of illicit trade of protected plants facilitated by a clandestine network that thrives on exploiting natural resources for profit at the expense of biodiversity and local communities. This underground economy operates across borders, with organised crime syndicates leveraging loopholes in regulations and exploiting weak law enforcement to traffic rare and endangered plant species. The consequences extend beyond environmental degradation, impacting ecosystems, economies, and cultural heritage. Biodiversity loss due to plant poaching disrupts delicate ecological balances, leading to the potential collapse of entire ecosystems and the loss of invaluable genetic resources essential for future research and conservation efforts.

By the end of this webinar, the audience will be able to:

• outline latest patterns of illicit trade of protected cacti and orchids;
• describe intelligence collection and risk assessment practices;
• recognise cross-border investigation possibilities, opportunities, and limitations of related international law enforcement cooperation.