ARIEN was presented during “From Black Markets to Smart Tech: Brand Protection and the Fight Against Illicit Trade in the Age of AI”, an online webinar held on 25 March 2026.

Organised by the MIB Trieste Alumni Association, the event launched a new webinar series designed to connect its international community through professional knowledge and shared experiences.

The session featured consortium partner ICS, drawing on more than twenty years of experience in brand protection and corporate security to explore the changing nature of illicit trade. The programme connected real-world cases with emerging technological responses, examining how companies, investigators and institutions are addressing increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.

The ARIEN presentation outlined the project’s work on AI-supported tools for addressing illicit drug production and trafficking. It connected this research with the webinar’s broader examination of how information and technology can support responses to illicit markets.

Participation brought ARIEN to a professional audience with interests in business, brand protection and corporate security. The exchange provided an opportunity to consider challenges shared across different forms of illicit trade and the value of cooperation between researchers, practitioners and institutions.