In 2022, 22 people were detained and convicted for their involvement in the ‘Naturales’ group, a criminal network dedicated to procuring, trafficking and selling wild and exotic animals. The organisation allegedly removed animals from their natural habitats and sold them on social media and WhatsApp groups. Once purchased, the animals were then smuggled to the recipient via courier services, intercity transport companies and taxis under precarious conditions. The most heavily affected animals were vulnerable or endangered species, including ocelots, iguanas, turtles, macaws, parrots, African hedgehogs, spectacled caiman and monkeys etc. In April 2022, the authorities rescued over 1,000 animals of different species as part of the operation. Members of the group – whose efforts were concentrated across Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Magangué and Piendamó – were charged with animal trafficking and the illicit handling of wildlife, amongst others.