The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), through its ONE Caribbean regional program, conducted a specialised three-day online capacity-building workshop titled "OSINT for Combatting Environmental Crime".

The initiative, which was held from 28 – 30 July 2026, brought together approximately 86 law enforcement, intelligence, regulatory, customs and environmental stakeholders from across the Caribbean to equip regional practitioners with Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools to uncover illicit environmental activities hidden in plain sight.

The three-day virtual workshop focused on practical methodologies using publicly available digital information such as Web Intelligence (WEBINT), Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) and Imagery Intelligence (IMINT). Aligned with the CARICOM Cyber Security and Cybercrime Action Plan (CCSCAP), participants received hands-on instruction in tracking digital indicators, monitoring online marketplaces, analysing vessel movements and navigating international trade platforms such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Species+ to detect, disrupt and dismantle environmental criminal networks.

Ms. Nadine Bushell, Assistant Director – Projects, CARICOM IMPACS, emphasised that while environmental offences may not always draw the same headline attention as traditional security threats, their impact on regional livelihoods, tourism, food security and public health is profound. Furthermore, she said that environmental crimes are increasingly converging with broader transnational organised crime networks, including narcotics trafficking, firearms smuggling, gang activity and cybercrime.

“Across the Caribbean, our natural resources are central to our livelihoods, food security and national development. When criminal actors engage in illegal fishing, wildlife trafficking, timber trafficking and waste crime, the consequences extend far beyond environmental harm to impact governance, border security and regional stability”, Ms. Bushell explained.

Mr. Ian Mills, Unit Chief, ONE Caribbean, IDB, praised the operational partnership with CARICOM IMPACS and highlighted the need for evolving responses to environmental crimes, since it was no longer an isolated issue.

“Across the Region, we are seeing increasingly sophisticated forms of criminal activity that threaten our natural resources, economic security and public safety. As these threats evolve, so too must the tools and capabilities of those responsible for detecting and responding to them. The IDB was proud to support CARICOM IMPACS in elevating environmental crime as a dedicated regional security priority, building on the establishment of the regional Environmental Crime Unit”, he stated.

Through the establishment of a regional Environmental Crime Unit and the delivery of targeted cross-disciplinary training, CARICOM IMPACS reinforces its position as the Caribbean’s premier institution for regional crime and security cooperation. This framework equips Member States and Associate Members with the analytical tools, OSINT capabilities and intelligence infrastructure needed to proactively detect, disrupt and neutralise emerging security threats across physical and digital domains.

Beyond capacity building, the Unit serves as a centralised hub for cross-border operational coordination, bringing together law enforcement, environmental authorities, customs and international partners to combat the complex convergence of environmental offences with broader transnational organised crime.