According to a report funded by the European Commission and published by Traffic – an international non-governmental organisation dedicated to the conservation of nature and biodiversity – the European Union serves as a central hub in the illegal trafficking of wild flora and fauna. Official estimates suggest that the smuggling of protected species is worth more than 23 billion dollars annually, and the data published in the report underline the urgent need to strengthen law enforcement, raise public awareness and enhance international cooperation to combat a phenomenon that devastates ecosystems and fuels organised crime.
The study analysed data from 2023, a year in which nearly 5,200 seizures related to the trafficking of prohibited flora and fauna were recorded across the EU. These included almost four tonnes of timber, over 500 kilograms of animal bodies, seven tonnes of invertebrates, 3,800 kilograms of European eels, four tonnes of medicines derived from banned herbs and more than ten thousand live birds. The cases examined occurred at external borders such as airports, postal centres, seaports and land borders, as well as in commercial establishments including shops, markets, fairs, exhibitions and auction houses. The highest number of seizures was reported in Spain, accounting for over 13 percent of the total, and along with Germany, France and the Netherlands, these countries were responsible for three-quarters of all confiscations.
The main countries exporting to the EU are Thailand, the United States, India, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, with India appearing twice in the list due to multiple trade routes. Around 28 percent of the illegal shipments enter Europe through the postal service, which, by its nature, is used for small but frequent quantities of prohibited items. Maritime transport accounts for only 5 percent of intercepted shipments; however, given the size of containers, these were the highest in terms of tonnage. Europe is one of the most densely ported regions in the world, with over 1,500 seaports, many of which rank among the top globally by volume handled. Despite this, only 242 seizures of goods arriving in Europe by sea were reported in 2023.
Given the large number of containers passing through the Union every day, it is clear that the emergency is far from under control. For this reason, last year the International Maritime Organization developed a guide for all operators in the maritime sector, providing a practical tool for identifying suspicious shipments. The manual includes a list of red flags that signal potential containers carrying illegal products that should be stopped for inspection.
First and foremost, goods that do not match the country of origin or discrepancies between weight and volume may conceal prohibited items. The same applies to vague, inaccurate or overly generic goods descriptions, illegible documents or paperwork containing numerous corrections and typographical errors. Other warning signs include last-minute changes in destination, suboptimal routes or unnecessarily long journeys to reach the final destination, as well as intermediate stops at logistics platforms or warehouses located in free zones.
The guide also outlines the main techniques used to hide prohibited items inside containers. In most cases, the illegal goods are loaded together with similar products and disguised among legal items. In some instances, hidden compartments have been discovered, or goods were stored in the false bottom of containers or even within their walls. In general, organised crime remains highly active in developing new ways to evade the law. To keep pace, the International Maritime Organization also offers free access to an e-learning portal on its website, providing a continually updated training course on the smuggling of wild flora and fauna.
Marco Martinelli
