NCJ Number
238614
Date Published
2010
Length
314 pages
Annotation
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) analyzes a range of key criminal threats posed by transnational organized crime, including human trafficking; migrant smuggling; the illicit heroin and cocaine trades; cyber crime; maritime piracy; and trafficking in environmental resources, firearms, and counterfeit goods.
Abstract
Because most of these criminal enterprises involve the trafficking of people or goods internationally, this report focuses on documenting distinct "flows" as examples of each type of transnational organized crime. This involves detailed discussions of how the trafficking is being conducted and who is involved. It also includes improved estimates of the size of the flow from a global perspective. Trafficking in people, drugs, computer-related crimes (identity theft and child pornography), and environmental resources (wildlife parts and timber), and firearms are described in terms of volume and methods for various source and recipient nations and regions. Also discussed is the thriving of organized crime in the context of unstable and corrupt governments. The report notes that these trafficking crimes perpetrated by transnational organized crime must be addressed globally. Although local efforts are important, this will only result in the displacement of trafficking flows to other jurisdictions and geographic areas. A global approach allows each trafficking flow to be examined for vulnerabilities and points of disruption of the transnational criminal markets. Extensive figures and tables