1,000 rare poached cacti found in Italy
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Poached cactus plants
Italy's police wildlife unit entered the house of a suspected cactus trafficker, finding over 1,000 rare cacti poached from Chile's Atacama Desert in a locked room.
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International effort
This discovery became one of the largest known cactus busts and the catalyst for an international effort among cacti experts, police, conservationists and governments to return the plants to their native countries.
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Cacti trafficking
Finally, over a year after the cacti were discovered, the recovery plan fell into place. A wildlife team wrapped up 844 plants to be sent back to Chile. Of those confiscated from the suspected trafficker, 107 had died.
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Special quarantine centre
In April 2021, the plants arrived at the airport in Santiago and were taken to a special quarantine center on the outskirts of the Chilean capital. They will remain there until August.
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Return to Atacama desert
Politicians are pushing for them to be returned to the Atacama Desert.