Transnational organized crime is a growing global threat that harms and exploits people, communities, economies and the planet. From the illicit drug trade and narco-deforestation to cybercrime, human trafficking and trafficking in firearms and critical minerals, transnational organized crime is everywhere and organized crime groups are generating billions of dollars in illicit proceeds each year.
The staggering profits of organized crime come at an immense human cost. Between 2015 and 2021, an estimated 22 per cent of all global intentional homicides, around 100,000 deaths each year, were linked to organized crime, according to the UNODC 2023 Global Study on Homicide. And the damage extends beyond the lives directly lost. Organized crime fuels conflict and undermines peace, security and the rule of law. Falsified medicines threaten public health, illegal logging and mining destroy natural resources, waste dumping pollutes rivers and scams rob people of their savings, while economic crime and money laundering compromise financial systems and erode trust in institutions.
Different crimes, different victims, but the culprit is the same: organized crime networks.
The ability to generate, move, conceal and reinvest illicit profits allows organized criminal groups to sustain and expand their operations, with many diversifying into other types of crime.
Today, organized criminal groups use increasingly sophisticated digital tools, leveraging advanced cyber skills, emerging technologies, cryptocurrencies and shell companies to hide the origins and destinations of illicit funds. Illicit funds can now move faster, further and more discreetly than ever before, crossing borders with the click of a button, often beyond the reach of traditional law enforcement tools and capabilities.
To fight organized crime effectively, we must target the financial systems it depends on. Tracing illicit financial flows connected to organized crime can reveal the networks behind the crimes, enabling law enforcement to disrupt criminal operations, prosecute offenders and recover stolen assets.
Only by working together across sectors and borders can we break the financial backbone of organized crime.
But following the money is not just about stopping criminals. Reducing the financial incentives that drive organized crime will also help to restore justice and ensure long-term sustainable development.
#StopOrganizedCrime
