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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
Time: 11:30 am
Time: 11:30 am
Results for illicit goods
19 results foundAuthor: Trimble, Meridee Jean Title: U.S. Policy Options Toward Stopping North Korea’s Illicit Activities Summary: North Korea began its involvement in illicit activities in the 1970s, but it took the United States until the new millennium to develop a series of major law enforcement approaches to counter these activities. North Korea’s illicit activities are purportedly the funding input for the development of its nuclear weapons program, which constitutes the output. The main illicit activities to be discussed include drug production and trafficking, the counterfeiting of U.S. currency, cigarettes and pharmaceuticals, missile sales and human trafficking. The United States has aggressively addressed the nuclear threat that North Korea poses, but has been slow to address the inputs that fund the outputs. This thesis seeks to answer the question of why it took the United States over three decades to address the illicit activities of North Korea that purportedly fund its nuclear program. Details: Monterey, CA: Naval Postgraduate School, 2007. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Master's Thesis: Accessed April 18, 2012 at: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a475783.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Korea, North URL: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a475783.pdf Shelf Number: 125018 Keywords: CounterfeitingDrug TraffickingHuman TraffickingIllegal Activities (North Korea)Illicit Goods |
Author: Stakeholder Democracy Network Title: Communities not Criminals: Illegal Oil Refining in the Niger Delta Summary: An estimated 150,000 barrels of crude oil are stolen every day in Nigeria. The vast majority of this is sold internationally, but approximately 25% stays in the Niger Delta for refining and consumption. Illegal oil refining in the region comes with steep economic and social costs. Unless the problem is better understood and key drivers of the illegal economy are analyzed, the trade could come to undermine the stability of Nigeria's legal oil sector. Only five years ago, billions of dollars in oil revenue were effectively locked in because of instability and crime in the Niger Delta. The United Nations Environmental Program (UNDP) Environment Assessment of Ogoniland highlighted that in addition to poor pipeline maintenance by international oil companies, illegal oil refining in the Niger Delta is a major cause of environmental degradation. Whole communities have lost their traditional livelihoods as fisherman and farmers, as the effects of illegal refining, compounded by equipment failure, pollutes their water and land. The refining process may also pose serious health risks. The dangers notwithstanding, organized theft of crude oil and the illegal refining business it feeds also support the families, small businesses and social aspirations of many Niger Delta communities. Interviewees for this report described illegal oil refining as an entrepreneurial, free market response to local economic dysfunction, socioeconomic pressures, the Niger Delta's chronic fuel shortages and government's failure to deliver basic public services. The oil companies operating in the delta and the media regularly draw attention to this illicit industry, noting for instance that some illegal oil refining camps brazenly operate in broad daylight. In response, the military Joint Task Force (JTF), charged with patrolling on-shore oil fields, each year destroys thousands of illegal refineries. However, the set up costs are so low and returns so high that within weeks illegal refiners start up new camps. Some claim the problem is worsening, with suspicions that as the 2014/15 election gets closer, oil theft and the associated environmental damage it causes will get even worse. Evidence also suggests that rogue actors within the JTF actively participate in and profit from theft and illegal refining. This is the first ever study that explores how illegal oil refining in the Niger Delta operates and what is driving its rapid growth. The underlying research attempted to gain an in-depth quantitative and qualitative understanding of how the business works, and to analyze the political, economic and societal drivers, networks and impacts and nature of local oil refining. The findings of this report are based on 12 weeks of field research, undertaken over four months in early 2013. A team of researchers visited nine illegal refining operations across Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states. This was supplemented with 120 key informant interviews with oil companies, government representatives and members of civil society. To ensure the safety of those interviewed, identifies have been protected and this report does not ascribe any quotes to individuals. This is in keeping with SDN's operational research process which seeks to identify trends and solutions, without risks to those involved in the research process either as researchers or interviewees. Details: London: SDN, 2013. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2014 at: http://www.stakeholderdemocracy.org/uploads/SDN%20Publications/CommunitiesNotCriminals.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Nigeria URL: http://www.stakeholderdemocracy.org/uploads/SDN%20Publications/CommunitiesNotCriminals.pdf Shelf Number: 133938 Keywords: Illegal MarketsIllegal Oil RefiningIllicit GoodsOffenses Against the EnvironmentOil Theft (Nigeria)Organized CrimeStolen Goods |
Author: Helfstein, Scott Title: Risky Business: The Global Threat Network and the Politics of Contraband Summary: The report makes four main points that run counter to previous conceptions of crime-terror connectivity and the global illicit network. 1) Rather than operating in numerous smaller networks, the criminals and terrorists in our study are largely subsumed (98%) in a single network of 2,700 individuals with 15,000 relationships. Connectivity among actors within the illicit marketplace is relatively high. This should not be construed to say that the network is a cohesive organizational entity. Rather, the phenomenon observed and documented here is a self-organizing complex system built through social connections from the bottom up. 2) By most measures of connectivity, terrorists are more central than almost all other types of criminals, second only to narcotics smugglers. The transnational nature of some terrorist actors allows them to link disparate criminal groups. Importantly our study does not provide evidence that terrorists are shunned by criminal actors because of their ideological motivations. 3) The conventional wisdom that explains crime-terror connectivity as a product of failed or economically poor states is challenged here. Generally speaking, connectivity between terrorists and criminals is highest in resource-rich countries that have little incentive to support substate actors (comparative advantage theory) and resource-poor countries that are incentivized to support criminal or terrorist groups (augment state capabilities theory). 4) Despite the interest surrounding big data and data science, the results of data acquisition and utilization often falls short of their potential. A growing number of data sources and tools offer an opportunity to conduct analyses addressing global challenges like the crime-terror "nexus." Advancing this agenda requires asking questions in unique ways and pursuing creative approaches and partnerships to aggregating and analyzing data. Details: West Point, NY: Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, 2014. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2014 at: https://www.ctc.usma.edu/v2/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/RiskyBusiness_final.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: https://www.ctc.usma.edu/v2/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/RiskyBusiness_final.pdf Shelf Number: 134009 Keywords: ContrabandCriminal NetworksIllicit GoodsSmugglingTerrorismTerrorist Financing |
Author: Europol Title: Exploring Tomorrow's Organised Crime Summary: I am pleased to present Europols view on the future of serious and organised crime in the European Union (EU). This report, a first of this kind for Europol, is the outcome of our engagement with experts in the private and public sectors and academia as well as our many partners in the European law enforcement community. Law enforcement is often criticised for being reactive rather than proactive. A reactive approach to criminal offences committed lies in the nature of police work in solving criminal cases, supporting victims and working within our judicial systems to create justice. However, we can also be more proactive in fighting crime, particularly organised crime, in anticipating the development of new modi operandi, shifts in criminal markets and changes in organised crime structures. Looking ahead will enable us to better allocate resources, plan operational activities and engage with policy- and law-makers to prevent certain types of crimes from emerging. This document considers the future of serious and organised crime in the EU and while we do not claim to make definitive predictions, we identify a series of key driving factors that will impact on the serious and organised crime landscape in Europe. The EUs first full multi-annual policy cycle on serious and organised crime enters its third year in 2015. The policy cycle represents Europes joint effort in fighting serious and organised crime and aims to coordinate the activities of many stakeholders at EU-level. With the first successful operational actions of this cycle already accomplished, this is an ideal time to look ahead and identify the key trends and developments that will shape our wider environment, law enforcement and serious and organised crime. Serious and organised crime will pose new threats to the Member States of the EU. Organised crime groups will find ways to exploit evolving technologies, changes in the economy and society. New forms of payment such as virtual currencies will change how criminal actors transfer and launder illicit proceeds of crime. New modes of transportation will provide OCGs with greater mobility and new ways to traffic illicit goods into, from and via the EU. Economic disparity and declining prosperity in EU Member States has the potential to create a climate rife for exploitation by OCGs and creating large pools of potential recruits for organised crime. The increasing scarcity of and competition for natural resources will open new fields of exploitation for OCGs. The make-up of European societies is undergoing major demographic changes opening up new opportunities for OCGs to exploit a larger group of elderly people or provide illicit services to them. These and many other factors are set to impact on the serious and organised crime landscape. Organised crime is dynamic and adaptable and law enforcement authorities across the EU are challenged to keep pace with the changing nature of this substantial and significant threat. However, just as criminals learn to exploit new technologies and invent new modi operandi, law enforcement authorities also make use of technological innovation and develop new investigative measures to counter the threat of organised crime. In this report, leading police officers from various EU Member States, third partners and international organisations outline how they evaluate the challenges and opportunities facing law enforcement over the next decade. Law enforcement authorities are becoming more effective and better at countering the various criminal threats emerging from serious and organised crime. Law enforcement authorities will continue to innovate to serve and protect their communities across Europe. We hope to be able to make a contribution to their work with this report by outlining potential developments and emerging threats across the serious and organised crime landscape. Details: The Hague: European Police Office, 2015. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2015 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: https://www.europol.europa.eu Shelf Number: 134745 Keywords: Illicit GoodsMoney Laundering Organized Crime (Europe) |
Author: Jeffray, Calum Title: Underground Web: The Cybercrime Challenge. Summary: The two papers in this Special Report examine the central role that cybercrime plays in modern society and how technological developments create new opportunities for criminals to exploit. Calum Jeffray's paper, Caught in the net: the law enforcement response to international cybercrime, surveys the strategic cybercrime landscape and illustrates that, despite calls for law enforcement to 'do more' to prevent and investigate cybercrime, the agencies involved are often hampered in acting due to jurisdictional issues or the complexity of the investigations. Tobias Feakin's paper, Cryptomarkets - illicit goods in the darknet, examines the emergence of the 'darknet', where trading in illicit goods and services in online black markets has become increasingly commonplace and exacerbates the problems that law enforcement already faces - tracing and prosecuting illegal activities online. Details: Barton, ACT: AUS: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, International Cyber Policy Centre, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Special Report: Accessed May 4, 2015 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/underground-web-the-cybercrime-challenge/SR77_Underground_web_cybercrime.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/underground-web-the-cybercrime-challenge/SR77_Underground_web_cybercrime.pdf Shelf Number: 135504 Keywords: Black MarketsCyber SecurityCybercrimeIllegal TradingIllicit GoodsInternet Crimes |
Author: Henchman, Joseph Title: Cigarette Taxes and Cigarette Smuggling by State Summary: - Large differentials in cigarette taxes across states create incentives for black market sales. - Smuggled cigarettes make up substantial portions of cigarette consumption in many states, and greater than 25 percent of consumption in twelve states. - The highest inbound cigarette smuggling rates are in New York (56.9 percent), Arizona (51.5 percent), New Mexico (48.1 percent), Washington (48 percent), and Wisconsin (34.6 percent). - The highest outbound smuggling rates are in New Hampshire (24.2 percent), Wyoming (22.3 percent), Idaho (21.3 percent), Virginia (21.1 percent), and Delaware (20.9 percent). - Cigarette tax rates increased in 30 states and the District of Columbia between 2006 and 2012. Details: Washington, DC: Tax Foundation, 2014. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Fiscal Fact: Accessed May 21, 2015 at: http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/FF421.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/FF421.pdf Shelf Number: 135750 Keywords: Cigarette SmugglingIllicit GoodsTaxes |
Author: Finklea, Kristin Title: Dark Web Summary: The layers of the Internet go far beyond the surface content that many can easily access in their daily searches. The other content is that of the Deep Web, content that has not been indexed by traditional search engines such as Google. The furthest corners of the Deep Web, segments known as the Dark Web, contain content that has been intentionally concealed. The Dark Web may be used for legitimate purposes as well as to conceal criminal or otherwise malicious activities. It is the exploitation of the Dark Web for illegal practices that has garnered the interest of officials and policy makers. Individuals can access the Dark Web by using special software such as Tor (short for The Onion Router). Tor relies upon a network of volunteer computers to route users' web traffic through a series of other users' computers such that the traffic cannot be traced to the original user. Some developers have created tools - such as Tor2web - that may allow individuals access to Torhosted content without downloading and installing the Tor software, though accessing the Dark Web through these means does not anonymize activity. Once on the Dark Web, users often navigate it through directories such as the "Hidden Wiki," which organizes sites by category, similar to Wikipedia. Individuals can also search the Dark Web with search engines, which may be broad, searching across the Deep Web, or more specific, searching for contraband like illicit drugs, guns, or counterfeit money. While on the Dark Web, individuals may communicate through means such as secure email, web chats, or personal messaging hosted on Tor. Though tools such as Tor aim to anonymize content and activity, researchers and security experts are constantly developing means by which certain hidden services or individuals could be identified or "deanonymized." Anonymizing services such as Tor have been used for legal and illegal activities ranging from maintaining privacy to selling illegal goods - mainly purchased with Bitcoin or other digital currencies. They may be used to circumvent censorship, access blocked content, or maintain the privacy of sensitive communications or business plans. However, a range of malicious actors, from criminals to terrorists to state-sponsored spies, can also leverage cyberspace and the Dark Web can serve as a forum for conversation, coordination, and action. It is unclear how much of the Dark Web is dedicated to serving a particular illicit market at any one time, and, because of the anonymity of services such as Tor, it is even further unclear how much traffic is actually flowing to any given site. Just as criminals can rely upon the anonymity of the Dark Web, so too can the law enforcement, military, and intelligence communities. They may, for example, use it to conduct online surveillance and sting operations and to maintain anonymous tip lines. Anonymity in the Dark Web can be used to shield officials from identification and hacking by adversaries. It can also be used to conduct a clandestine or covert computer network operation such as taking down a website or a denial of service attack, or to intercept communications. Reportedly, officials are continuously working on expanding techniques to deanonymize activity on the Dark Web and identify malicious actors online. Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2015. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: CRS:R55101: Accessed July 20, 2015 at: https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44101.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44101.pdf Shelf Number: 136120 Keywords: Computer CrimeDark WebIllegal BehaviorIllicit GoodsInternet CrimeOnline Communications |
Author: Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime Title: Organized Crime: A Cross-Cutting Threat to Sustainable Development Summary: The international community has become increasingly aware of the extent to which organised crime serves as a spoiler of sustainable development. This realisation has been enshrined in a number of seminal reports. In 2005, the report of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, "In Larger Freedom," which identified the challenges preventing the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), highlighted organised crime as one of the principle threats to peace and security in the 21st century. The 2010 "Keeping the Promise" report of the Secretary-General recognised that in order to achieve the MDGs, there would need to be capacity to respond specifically to organised crime. The World Development Report 2011 concluded that both conflict and organised crime have the same detrimental effect on development, resulting in 20% less development performance. As such, combatting organised crime and promoting greater economic and social resilience to its most deleterious impacts has become an integral part of the 2012 "Action Agenda" of the Secretary-General, as a priority for achieving a stable world. While organised crime is not a new phenomenon, the spread, impact and forms of organised crime in the modern world are unprecedented. The effects of organised crime are being felt in fragile and developed nations alike, and in many parts of the world, organised crime creates the very conditions that allow it to thrive, resulting in a self-perpetuating cycle of insecurity and diverted development. In fragile states and in situations of peacebuilding and state consolidation, organised crime is an increasing threat. In a number of theatres, criminal groups and illicit flows have been proven to fund conflict and perpetuate violence and insecurity. It is widely recognised, for example, that illicit trafficking and organised crime played a pivotal role in reducing the credibility of the government and financing armed groups that prompted the collapse of the state in Mali in 2011. More recently in Libya, organised crime and the armed groups that perpetrate it are having a decisive impact on the country's development, undermining transitions to stability, obstructing the functioning of central state institutions, holding the democratic process hostage, disenfranchising citizens and increasing the insecurity and life chances of communities. Organised crime and related corruption have been seen to reach up to the highest levels of government and the state, impacting stability, governance, development and the rule of law. Even in what are considered strong and prospering states, organised crime has a serious corrosive effect. A number of recent studies in Africa, for example, have demonstrated that while much of the continent is admired for its active civil society and free media, there is a very real danger of internal decay as organised crime and the associated corruption undermine state institutions. Weaknesses in public and private structures can result in the diversion of resources away from critical infrastructure and governmental services, including the provision of health, education and social welfare. Poverty and inequality are associated with increases in organised crime, not least in relation to human trafficking, smuggling of counterfeit goods, the production of illicit crops, and everyday extortion and bribery. Prominent examples of these insidious relationships are visible in Central and South America; South, West and North Africa; and areas of Eastern Europe, where a combination of drug cartels, transnational gangs, money laundering entities and public entities are colluding with critical effects on human security and development. Moreover, there is a growing body of anecdotal evidence of the myriad ways organised crime negatively impacts the environment, such as by destroying biodiversity, threatening key species, or reducing the sustainability of ecosystems. In dealing with fisheries and marine ecosystems, addressing the problem of large-scale illegal fishing has become more urgent than other research priorities. In fields like sustainable forestry, a substantial proportion of development assistance is being diverted through illegal logging. Drug trafficking has also been a cause of deforestation of large portions of the Amazon and the Isthmus of Panama. Details: Geneva, SWIT: The Initiative, 2015. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2015 at: http://www.globalinitiative.net/download/global-initiative/Global%20Initiative%20-%20Organized%20Crime%20as%20a%20Cross-Cutting%20Threat%20to%20Development%20-%20January%202015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://www.globalinitiative.net/download/global-initiative/Global%20Initiative%20-%20Organized%20Crime%20as%20a%20Cross-Cutting%20Threat%20to%20Development%20-%20January%202015.pdf Shelf Number: 136348 Keywords: CorruptionIllicit GoodsOffenses Against the EnvironmentOrganized CrimePovertySustainable Development |
Author: Coyne, John Title: Securing the Australian Frontier: An agenda for border security policy Summary: This report explores the key border security concepts and emergent policy challenges that will impact on Australia's border security policy. Effective border security allows for the seamless legitimate movement of people and goods across Australia's borders, which is critical to enhancing trade, travel and migration. The provision of border security involves far more than creating a capability focused solely on keeping our borders secure from potential terrorists, irregular migrants and illicit contraband. Border security policy deals with a unique operating space, in which extraordinary measures (extraordinary in character, amount, extent or degree) are often needed to provide a sense of security at the same time as creating the sense of normalcy that will allow economic interactions to flourish. Details: Barton, ACT, AUS: Australian Stategic Policy Institute, 2015. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2015 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/securing-the-australian-frontier-an-agenda-for-border-security-policy/SR83_ASPI_Border_security_agenda.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/securing-the-australian-frontier-an-agenda-for-border-security-policy/SR83_ASPI_Border_security_agenda.pdf Shelf Number: 137275 Keywords: Border PatrolBorder SecurityIllicit GoodsIrregular MigrantsTerrorists |
Author: INTERPOL. Office of Legal Affairs Title: Countering Illicit Trade in Goods: A Guide for Policy-Makers Summary: Illicit trade in goods is of growing concern internationally, and one of the greatest law enforcement challenges to date. It has various manifestations, involves many different actors and affects several interests at the same time. It is a high profit activity, the reason for its allure. While illicit trade has specific features, depending on the goods and the methods employed, calling for the adoption of targeted legal measures by States, one common denominator is the involvement of criminal organizations. These are often highly sophisticated, flexible structures, able to quickly adapt to market changes and grab new criminal opportunities. They resort to corruption and money laundering as the chief means of conducting their illicit trade business and re-introducing proceeds into the legal economy. They act transnationally by exploiting a global environment which encourages the free circulation of goods. This handbook presented by the INTERPOL Office of Legal Affairs is the first publication in its Legal Handbook Series. The aim of these publications is to provide a solid and thorough overview of illicit trade thereby guiding the reader through the applicable international legal frameworks and offering pioneering legal solutions. The Legal Handbook Series was developed to assist policy-makers in INTERPOL's member countries to design effective national strategies against illicit trade. Given the complexity of the problem, solutions are not easily arrived at in isolation. Working with other specialized agencies and optimizing the use of available expertise and resources has been a priority, ensuring the accuracy and relevance of the analysis. Hence this handbook is the result of close collaboration with various international organizations that have significantly contributed to it by providing their perspectives. Details: Paris: INTERPOL, 2014. 260p. Source: Internet Resource: Legal Handbook Series: Accessed February 25, 2016 at: www.interpol.int Year: 2014 Country: International URL: www.Interpol.int Shelf Number: 137978 Keywords: Illegal TradeIllicit GoodsIllicit TradeOrganized crime |
Author: INTERPOL. Office of Legal Affairs Title: Countering Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products: A Guide for Policy-Makers Summary: Illicit trade in tobacco products (ITTP) is a global occurrence, affecting all regions and countries. It holds an allure for criminals to engage in it as tobacco products are light, small, easy to transport and to conceal. Tobacco is one of the most smuggled commodities in the world, allowing offenders to amass huge profits. Further, penalties are often not sufficient to act as a deterrent. Illicit trade in tobacco products has negative and harmful consequences for countries at many levels. It affects consumers' health, reduces States' budgets, creates unfair competition for legitimate businesses, and feeds organized criminal groups who channel the profits obtained into other illegal activities. This handbook aims to offer the first comprehensive legal analysis of the international legal framework against the ITTP. It provides guidance to policy-makers and law enforcement authorities on the implementation of key international instruments in the field, with an emphasis on the new Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. The ITTP holds many challenges for governments. One of the biggest is the involvement of organized criminal networks which employ increasingly sophisticated and varied methods to counterfeit and smuggle products. INTERPOL recognizes this as a growing issue threatening the security of States. A joint and coordinated effort is needed to find and implement lasting solutions to this multi-faceted problem. Details: Lyon, France: INTERPOL Office of Legal Affairs, 2014. 290p. Source: Internet Resource: Legal handbook Series: Accessed February 26, 2016 at: http://www.interpol.int/Crime-areas/Trafficking-in-illicit-goods-and-counterfeiting/Legal-assistance/Legal-publications Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://www.interpol.int/Crime-areas/Trafficking-in-illicit-goods-and-counterfeiting/Legal-assistance/Legal-publications Shelf Number: 137982 Keywords: Counterfeit GoodsIllicit GoodsIllicit TradeOrganized CrimeSmuggled GoodsTobaccoTobacco Smuggling |
Author: Interpol Title: Against Organized Crime: Interpol Trafficking and Counterfeiting Casebook 2014 Summary: INTERPOL has launched a casebook outlining the links between illicit trade, counterfeiting and organized crime. 'Against Organized Crime: INTERPOL Trafficking and Counterfeiting Casebook 2014' is a compilation of cases from law enforcement worldwide involved in the fight against trafficking in illicit goods and counterfeiting. Through these real-life examples divided into chapters, the reference book details the strong connections between illicit trade and other crimes such as counterfeiting and smuggling, fake medicines, arms smuggling, trafficking in human beings and organs, drug trafficking, financial crimes, terrorism, environmental crime and cybercrime. "The criminal networks behind trafficking in illicit goods and counterfeiting are complex and pervasive, reaching far beyond national borders. The INTERPOL Trafficking and Counterfeiting casebook is the first publicly released study to provide comprehensive evidence of the clear connection between illicit trade and other types of organized crime," said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble. The casebook discusses the organized criminal networks which are often behind illicit trade, using the profits to fund other criminal endeavours. It also highlights the role INTERPOL is playing to assist law enforcement around the globe in combating these crimes through its Trafficking in Illicit Goods and Counterfeiting programme, by coordinating regional operations, bringing police together, organizing capacity building and training sessions, and awareness raising. Details: Lyon, France: Interpol, 2014. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2016 at: http://www.interpol.int/News-and-media/News/2014/N2014-057 Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://www.interpol.int/News-and-media/News/2014/N2014-057 Shelf Number: 138918 Keywords: CounterfeitingIllicit GoodsIllicit NetworksIllicit TradeOrganized Crime |
Author: Ellis, Clare Title: On Tap Europe: Organised Crime and Illicit Trade in Spain: Country Report Summary: The criminal networks behind Spain's illicit trade are sophisticated, agile and often active in other areas of criminality. In contrast to other countries studied, there does not appear to be a decisive shift away from the established high-risk activities of organised crime (such as trafficking narcotics) towards illicit trade, which is considered comparatively low-risk both in terms of detection and potential sanctions. Instead, the flexibility of organised crime groups in Spain includes both forms of activity, with groups moving between different illicit commodities and between crime types as opportunities arise. While Spain has long acted as a transit hub, a substantial domestic market for illicit goods has also developed. There appears to be limited infiltration of legal supply chains, with stringent regulatory systems largely preventing illicit goods from being sold through registered retailers. However, such goods remain readily available from a variety of sources, suggesting that measures have displaced rather than suppressed the sale of illicit products. Production of illicit goods within Spain is also an emerging trend, with illegal tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceutical factories uncovered in recent years. This paper identifies four specific drivers that underpin this complex and evolving role: the significant price differentials with nearby countries and territories; the impact of the global financial crisis on the Spanish economy; a social acceptance of illicit goods and the perception among the public that illicit trade is not a serious criminal issue; and the application of relatively lenient sanctions against those convicted of crimes related to illicit trade. It is the combination of these factors that has simultaneously created demand for illicit products, fuelled their supply, and offered limited deterrence for participation in this form of criminality. Details: London: Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, 2017. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Occasional Paper; On Tap Europe Series No. 2: Accessed January 30, 2017 at: https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/201701_op_on_tap_europe_spain_final.2.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Spain URL: https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/201701_op_on_tap_europe_spain_final.2.pdf Shelf Number: 145542 Keywords: Drug TraffickingIllegal Tobacco Illicit GoodsIllicit Trade Organized Crime |
Author: Jeffray, Calum Title: On Tap Europe: Organised Crime and Illicit Trade in Greece: Country Report Summary: Organised crime in Greece has historically been presented as an external threat, and the country’s vast coastline is indeed vulnerable to small-scale smuggling of various illicit goods from overseas, while its two major ports are frequently targeted by smugglers. As a result, Greece is widely cited as a key entry point for illicit goods into Europe, with the majority of illicit trade occurring in the regions where the two biggest cities and ports – Athens and Thessaloniki – are located. Illicit trade is not seen as an isolated problem in Greece, but as part of a broader category of economic crimes. It is closely linked to tax evasion, corruption and fraud. However, specific information on the scale and the scope of illicit trade in Greece is limited and tends to be largely anecdotal, reflecting a lack of publicly available information on organised crime more broadly. Authorities suggest that the way in which criminals in Greece organise themselves has evolved from strict, hierarchical structures to a more flexible ‘enterprise model’ in which a network of smaller OCGs is established for a particular operation. Groups that smuggle goods tend to deal across multiple commodities, moving between products based on the profit that can be made at any one time, regardless of the risk. Some illicit markets seem to be growing: data show that legitimate tobacco and alcohol sales are both decreasing, but there has not been a similar reduction in consumer demand. This paper makes various key findings. First, the debt crisis that has affected Greece since 2008 has undeniably had an impact on local illicit markets, making the black market more attractive to some consumers and affecting the resources available to law enforcement authorities. Second, during this period of economic uncertainty, authorities have focused on tackling crimes that they believe have the biggest impact on state revenues, such as tax evasion, excise evasion, fraud, and bribery and corruption. Third, Greece has become an attractive hub for smuggling activity for various reasons, including its combination of remote and porous land borders and its long coastline, the scale of operations at the port of Piraeus, which makes monitoring the content of incoming containers a challenge, and because the country is in the Schengen Area, which means that the circulation of goods into the rest of Europe is relatively straightforward. Fourth, there is only limited information available on the scale and scope of organised crime activity, and of illicit trade in particular. Finally, identifying 'little and often' smuggling operations, whether by sea or by land, requires an excellent intelligence picture, which Greece has struggled to achieve. Details: London: Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, 2017. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Occasional Paper; On Tap Europe Series No. 3: Accessed February 24, 2017 at: https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/201702_op_on_tap_europe3_greece.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Greece URL: https://rusi.org/sites/default/files/201702_op_on_tap_europe3_greece.pdf Shelf Number: 141207 Keywords: Corruption and FraudDrug Trafficking Illegal Tobacco Illicit Goods Illicit Trade Organized CrimeSmugglingTax Evasion |
Author: Finklea, Kristin Title: Dark Web: Updated Summary: The layers of the Internet go far beyond the surface content that many can easily access in their daily searches. The other content is that of the Deep Web, content that has not been indexed by traditional search engines such as Google. The furthest corners of the Deep Web, segments known as the Dark Web, contain content that has been intentionally concealed. The Dark Web may be used for legitimate purposes as well as to conceal criminal or otherwise malicious activities. It is the exploitation of the Dark Web for illegal practices that has garnered the interest of officials and policymakers. Individuals can access the Dark Web by using special software such as Tor (short for The Onion Router). Tor relies upon a network of volunteer computers to route users’ web traffic through a series of other users’ computers such that the traffic cannot be traced to the original user. Some developers have created tools—such as Tor2web—that may allow individuals access to Torhosted content without downloading and installing the Tor software, though accessing the Dark Web through these means does not anonymize activity. Once on the Dark Web, users often navigate it through directories such as the “Hidden Wiki,” which organizes sites by category, similar to Wikipedia. Individuals can also search the Dark Web with search engines, which may be broad, searching across the Deep Web, or more specific, searching for contraband like illicit drugs, guns, or counterfeit money. While on the Dark Web, individuals may communicate through means such as secure email, web chats, or personal messaging hosted on Tor. Though tools such as Tor aim to anonymize content and activity, researchers and security experts are constantly developing means by which certain hidden services or individuals could be identified or “deanonymized.” Anonymizing services such as Tor have been used for legal and illegal activities ranging from maintaining privacy to selling illegal goods—mainly purchased with Bitcoin or other digital currencies. They may be used to circumvent censorship, access blocked content, or maintain the privacy of sensitive communications or business plans. However, a range of malicious actors, from criminals to terrorists to state-sponsored spies, can also leverage cyberspace and the Dark Web can serve as a forum for conversation, coordination, and action. It is unclear how much of the Dark Web is dedicated to serving a particular illicit market at any one time, and, because of the anonymity of services such as Tor, it is even further unclear how much traffic is actually flowing to any given site. Just as criminals can rely upon the anonymity of the Dark Web, so too can the law enforcement, military, and intelligence communities. They may, for example, use it to conduct online surveillance and sting operations and to maintain anonymous tip lines. Anonymity in the Dark Web can be used to shield officials from identification and hacking by adversaries. It can also be used to conduct a clandestine or covert computer network operation such as taking down a website or a denial of service attack, or to intercept communications. Reportedly, officials are continuously working on expanding techniques to deanonymize activity on the Dark Web and identify malicious actors online. Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2017. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: R44101: Accessed March 17, 2017 at: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44101.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44101.pdf Shelf Number: 144490 Keywords: Computer Crime Dark Web Illegal Behavior Illicit Goods Internet Crime Online Communications |
Author: Shaw, Mark Title: Global Illicit Flows and Local Conflict Dynamics: The Case for Pre-Emptive Analysis and Experimental Policy Options Summary: INTRODUCTION This paper seeks to address three interconnected policy questions: - First how do global illicit flows impact on local conflict dynamics? Are there specific conceptual features that can be identified that may assist us to analyse this phenomenon across cases? - By understanding these, second, what can be done to limit the negative impact of organised crime on violent conflict? Are new ideas required or is it only a question of recalibrating existing policy alternatives? - Third, what are the implications for international involvement in conflict affected states? Given the potential complexities of engaging in conflict spaces on what are often hidden or little understood criminal resource flows, are these even viable objectives for policy intervention, for either development or security actors? The paper draws at the outset on two contrasting case studies - that of conflict in Libya and Nigeria in the recent past - both of which have shaped our work and thinking on the topic. Libya and Nigeria have some interesting parallels and some important differences. In both cases the oil economy is an important resource and driver of some aspects of the conflict. However, in Libya's case transnational or cross-border flows and their control have played a more important role then in Nigeria. In the case of the latter, the Boko Haram insurgency shows little evidence of resourcing from wider criminal flows; the movement has largely survived on extortion or protection money of local trade to raise funds. In Libya, payments from proxies and the state (in the form of legal transfers) have sustained the conflict. In Libya the central state has little reach. In Nigeria, the central state is comparatively stronger, but suffers from a debilitating level of corruption, providing opportunities for collusion between state and non-state actors which sustain conflict. Thus, with respect to the conflict in the Niger Delta, there is strong complicity between state, business and criminal actors. While the paper's focus is largely on Africa, given that much of the discussion on the political economy of conflict has had a link to conflicts on the continent, it also seeks to build on our wider experience of working in and researching conflict zones elsewhere and engaging with the range of stakeholders involved. The discussion begins with a short overview of the history of the debate on the linkages between organised crime and conflict with an African focus. This schematic serves as an introduction to a series of analytical issues that we have drawn from both the Libyan and Nigerian case studies as well as our own analytical work conducted on organised crime and illicit networks in several other conflict zones. While we do not claim these to be a definitive list, we hope that they serve to promote debate about the state of the evolving discussion and the linkages between global flows and local conflicts. Referring to the connection between criminal flows and conflicts is not necessarily new. However, the scale of the challenge has changed as has the analytical discourse that is increasingly being adopted. The current debate in our views reflects a merging between an older literature on "greed or grievance" as a cause of conflict, and a newer (and less developed) one that has sought to identify organised crime as one 'driver' of conflict. Driver in this context has four overlapping dimensions: 1. Conflict over the control of illicit markets; 2. Illicit markets providing resources for continuing conflicts; 3. Illicit revenue streams associated with conflict (and the disruption that it brings) postponing peace by ensuring that incentives from the criminal economy are seen as more advantageous than from peace; and, 4. External resourcing of conflict actors and/or wide spread corruption associated with illicit markets which is a "bleeding sore" that erodes the state, preventing a decisive end to conflict (and through collusion in illicit markets provides incentives for state actors to gain from its continuance). As these points suggest, and as we will argue as the paper unfolds, there are important overlaps between the older work on "greed and grievance" and the emerging focus. What is lacking is a better way of conceptually framing the connections to allow a more sophisticated policy discussion. We conclude that policy in this area is better informed by identifying a set of principles around which to frame responses rather than a set of 'actions' that are unlikely to be replicable across conflicts. Details: Tokyo: University Nations University, 2017. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Crime-Conflict Nexus Series: No 2: Accessed June 20, 2017 at: https://i.unu.edu/media/cpr.unu.edu/attachment/2518/Global-Illicit-Flows-and-Local-Conflict-Dynamics.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Africa URL: https://i.unu.edu/media/cpr.unu.edu/attachment/2518/Global-Illicit-Flows-and-Local-Conflict-Dynamics.pdf Shelf Number: 146316 Keywords: Crime-Conflict NexusIllicit GoodsIllicit marketsIllicit TradeOrganized Crime |
Author: Jesperson, Sasha Title: Conflict Obscuring Criminality: The Crime-Conflict Nexus in Nigeria Summary: Both conflict and organised crime are deeply entrenched in Nigeria. In 2015, the Global Terrorism Index listed Boko Haram as the deadliest terrorist group, with Fulani militants in the Middle Belt of Nigeria responsible for the 4th most fatalities globally. Although there has been a reduction in fatalities in 2016, new militant groups emerged in the Niger Delta region, making Nigeria home to three active conflicts. Conflict in all three regions is connected to economic and political grievances, which suggests that armed groups are strategic in nature, responding to the needs of civilians in their area of operation. Increasing literature on the strategic nature of criminal organisations and warring parties highlights a variety of criminal and political motives that evolve over time, adapting to changing situations in order to maximise opportunities. While armed groups in all three regions may engage in criminality to sustain their activities, there is no evidence that they are filling governance roles or supporting civilians in their regions. In parallel, the World Bank identified conflict and fragility as creating conducive conditions for organised crime. While in some countries, such as Afghanistan and Colombia, illicit and criminal economies are closely linked to insurgency and conflict, this is not the case for Nigeria. Despite several conflict-affected regions and a high concentration of organised crime entities, for the most part crime and conflict remain separate. The prevalence of corrupt officials and the entrenchment of organised crime means that conflict is not required as a cover to move illicit goods. The banking and transport infrastructure of major cities is more important and useful, whereas the three conflicts underway in Nigeria are in rural areas. But criminal activity continues to influence local conflict dynamics in all three regions. Despite claims of a linkage by Boko Haram's leadership, organised crime entities have little to do with the group aside from supplying illicit goods. But Boko Haram has created a profitable protection economy in northeastern Nigeria that is exploited by many other groups and individuals. Organised crime activities in the Niger Delta are largely driven by politicians who use militant groups to assist and provide plausible deniability. Militants in the Middle Belt continue to engage in cattle rustling in order to target their opponents. Aside from the Delta region, criminality is not linked to global illicit flows, but in all three regions criminal activities are fuelling conflict. Given this complexity, this case study seeks to understand how crime and conflict intersect in Nigeria, focusing on the insurgency of Boko Haram and the emergence of new militant groups in the Niger Delta. The aim is to assess the impact of global illicit flows on local conflict dynamics, while also considering how international actors can respond. The paper first engages with the nature of conflict in Nigeria and how it has evolved alongside, but separate from 'organised' crime. The forms and function of criminal activity in the two conflict-affected regions is then discussed, followed by an analysis of the impact of criminality on conflict and some recommendations on how international actors can respond. The analysis presented in this case study is based on extensive desk-based research and fieldwork conducted in Nigeria in November 2016. Local researchers conducted fieldwork in Maiduguri, Kano and Yobe, interviewing government representatives, NGOs, and community members. In Lagos and Abuja, interviews were conducted with journalists, researchers, security analysts, government representatives, NGOs, UN agencies and embassy officials. Although fieldwork was not conducted in the Niger Delta region, NGOs and experts were consulted either in Lagos or Abuja or via Skype. Details: Tokyo: University Nations University, 2017. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Crime-Conflict Nexus Series: No 4: Accessed June 20, 2017 at: https://i.unu.edu/media/cpr.unu.edu/attachment/2455/Conflict-Obscuring-Criminality-The-Crime-Conflict-Nexus-in-Nigeria.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Nigeria URL: https://i.unu.edu/media/cpr.unu.edu/attachment/2455/Conflict-Obscuring-Criminality-The-Crime-Conflict-Nexus-in-Nigeria.pdf Shelf Number: 146323 Keywords: Cattle RustlingCrime-Conflict NexusIllicit GoodsOrganized Crime |
Author: Coyne, John Title: Border security lessons for Australia from Europe's Schengen experience Summary: Brexit, and the 2016 US presidential election result, provided tangible evidence that migration and border security policies are becoming increasingly politicised in Western liberal democracies. Public policy dialogue on migration and border security has become ever more polarised into a zero sum game in which debates on both issues descend into a binary 'secure' or 'insecure' ultimatum. Far too often, pragmatism is giving way to simplistic 'balancing' metaphors that achieve neither security nor border facilitation goals. It's this binary border security policy thinking that's tearing at the Schengen Area's collaborative strategy. Adding further complexity to this policy space is a phenomenon in which citizens of Western liberal democracies are experiencing an inexplicable and illogical fear of migrants. In a practical sense, the public policy dialogue, along with its media coverage, is widening the gap between the fear of migrants and migration-related risks and the actual or estimated probable threat. From a security perspective, people are more scared of migration and migrants than they ought to be. US President Trump's successful 2016 election platform engaged with this emotively charged public fear by further demonising migration. Details: Barton, ACT, AUS: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2017. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Strategic Insights, 117: https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/ad-aspi/import/SI117_-Schengen-lessons-for-Australia.pdf?fr4QW2WQxT2ozsmvLeaOyunDB7o83kWb Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/ad-aspi/import/SI117_-Schengen-lessons-for-Australia.pdf?fr4QW2WQxT2ozsmvLeaOyunDB7o83kWb Shelf Number: 149753 Keywords: Border PatrolBorder SecurityIllicit GoodsIrregular MigrantsTerrorists |
Author: Tinti, Peter Title: Dark Pharma: Counterfeit and Contraband Pharmaceuticals in Central America Summary: This working paper, the second in a series on the global illicit economy, focuses on the dark pharma trade in Central America, where no country has been spared the problem of counterfeit and contraband pharmaceuticals making their way to consumers. As this paper argues, the illicit sale of pharmaceutical drugs is a growing global concern, most particularly in developing countries such as in Central America, where the lack of adequate healthcare forces people to seek cheaper drugs. In the absence of effective systems of regulation and access to affordable pharmaceuticals, the demand for cheap medicines drives a criminal market. In "Dark Pharma: Counterfeit and Contraband Pharmaceuticals in Central America," Peter Tinti notes that the damage caused by such markets relates not only to the quality of the medicines available to consumers but also to the corruption these markets create and reinforce, reducing citizens' confidence in the public health sector and the government. These substandard and ineffective drugs may worsen the condition of sick individuals, hinder medical professionals' ability to make accurate diagnoses, accelerate the spread of communicable diseases, increase drug resistance, and ultimately kill people. Details: Washington, DC: Atlantic Council, 2019. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper: Accessed June 24, 2019 at: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/images/publications/Dark_Pharma-Counterfeit_and_Contraband_Pharmaceuticals_in_Central_America.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Central America URL: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/images/publications/Dark_Pharma-Counterfeit_and_Contraband_Pharmaceuticals_in_Central_America.pdf Shelf Number: 156621 Keywords: Consumer Fraud Contraband Pharmaceuticals Counterfeit Medicines Illicit Goods |