At Earth League International (ELI), most of our work happens far from the public eye — undercover, inside criminal networks, and within ongoing intelligence operations that cannot be publicly discussed.

For that reason, moments when our Founder and Executive Director, Andrea Crosta, can openly share how this journey began, and how it evolved into infiltrating some of the most significant wildlife trafficking networks in the world, are extremely rare. We are therefore pleased to share Andrea’s recent TED Talk at the TEDxLakeComo, in Italy.

In this talk, Andrea offers something we almost never reveal publicly: the origin story of ELI, the turning points that shaped our investigative model, and a firsthand account of how environmental crime converges with drug trafficking, money laundering, corruption, and even human trafficking.

Drawing from a real undercover operation in Mexico City in 2021, Andrea recounts an investigation that began with a so-called “nature” trafficker. What unfolded was a stark example of criminal convergence. The operation exposed:

• Financial links to the Sinaloa Cartel through money laundering,
• The involvement of an immigration officer engaged in human trafficking,
• A multi-commodity network moving wildlife alongside other illicit goods.

These connections underscore a critical truth: environmental crimes are not isolated conservation issues. They are embedded within broader criminal ecosystems that destabilize governance, fuel corruption, and threaten national and international security.

This understanding is at the core of ELI’s investigative approach.

Working alongside former FBI and CIA professionals, ELI infiltrates criminal networks, identifies traffickers and corrupt officials as the true drivers of environmental destruction, and generates actionable intelligence to support arrests and prosecutions.

In his TEDx talk, Andrea also reflects on the moral dimension of this work — the courage required to confront powerful criminal systems, and the inspiration drawn from figures like Jane Goodall, who remind us that civil society must act as the conscience of the world

This talk is delivered in Italian with English subtitles.

If you have ever wondered:

• How ELI began

• What it really means to infiltrate a trafficking network

• How environmental crime connects to cartels and Transnational Organized Crime (TOC)

• And why this issue should matter far beyond conservation

This is a rare opportunity to hear it directly.