Marking the inaugural International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime on Friday, the United Nations emphasized that only a unified global effort is capable of countering these pervasive threats.
Proclaimed by the General Assembly in March this year, the International Day also pays tribute to all victims of organized crime, including those who have lost their lives fighting such crime, in particular law enforcement and judicial personnel.
Led by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the focal agency in the UN system dealing with transnational organized crime, the theme of this year’s commemoration is “Organized crime steals, corrupts and kills. It’s time we pull together to push back”.
“By pulling together – governments in the global North and South, banks and businesses, civil society and communities, young and old – we can push back against organized crime, everywhere, for safety and security, for development and human rights, for prosperity and peace,” said UNODC Executive Ghada Waly in her message for the day.
Speaking to UN News, Candice Welsch, Regional Representative of UNODC for the Andean Region and the Southern Cone, underscored the need for collective action.
“Almost all organized crime is transnational, it does not take place within a single country, but often crosses borders within regions and even beyond,” she said, adding:
“Therefore, this UN observance aims at boosting action by governments, the private sector, civil society and the public.”
UNODC’s efforts include bolstering local, national and international capacities to better understand and combat these challenges.
This involves promoting intelligence sharing among law enforcement and coordinated operations among border agencies and prosecutors, all underpinned by the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
Adopted in 2000 and ratified by 192 States, the Convention is the primary international framework binding governments to act against organized crime.
Despite challenges, UNODC programmes worldwide are focused on combatting and eventually eliminating the scourge of transnational organized crime. It works with authorities at the local, national and international levels to strengthen their capacity to understand what the challenges are and how to address them.
“We are working hard to strengthen cooperation between countries so that they can share information and intelligence between police forces, or that border agencies and prosecutors can conduct joint operations,” says Ms. Welsch.
The Andean region of South America, particularly Colombia and Ecuador, faces significant challenges with transnational criminal groups.
Cocaine production remains a principal issue, with UNODC data showing that coca cultivation in Colombia reached 253,000 hectares in 2023, resulting in an estimated 2,664 metric tons of potential cocaine production in 2022.
However, the issue is not confined to drug trafficking. Illegal mining, deforestation and wildlife trafficking – particularly in the Galapagos Islands – are also on the rise.
Migrant flows through the region make vulnerable populations susceptible to human trafficking and other abuses. These activities disrupt community security, exacerbate gang violence and contribute to high homicide rates, impacting indigenous communities and young people who face recruitment risks.
UNODC’s approach includes supporting sustainable alternative development programs for farmers who depend on coca cultivation. These programs promote legal crops such as coffee, cocoa, vanilla and sacha inchi, a nutrient-rich Amazonian plant.
“What we are trying to do with alternative development programmes is to offer these communities ways to move towards licit economies and a more secure future,” said Ms. Welsch.
In Afghanistan, opium cultivation remains a lucrative enterprise despite the Taliban’s ban in 2022, which initially led to a 95 per cent drop in production. However, 2024 saw a resurgence, with cultivation increasing by 19 per cent to approximately 12,800 hectares, driven by economic hardship and rising prices.
Farmers, often lacking alternative livelihoods, were incentivized by sharp price rises dry in early 2024, compared to pre-ban periods.
To address these challenges, UNODC has supported development projects and initiatives to support small farmers and communities affected by drugs, focusing on food security and income generation.
Since 2016, UNODC has aided over 85,000 households through Alternative Development initiatives, such as poultry farming projects that provide both sustenance and income for affected families.
Myanmar, overtaking Afghanistan as the world’s largest opium producer, recorded a 36 per cent increase in production in 2023, producing 1,080 metric tons of opium. The results of the 2024 opium survey will be released in December.
Part of the Golden Triangle – alongside Laos and Thailand – Myanmar also leads in methamphetamine production, which has become the dominant drug according to UNODC data, with seizures quadrupling from 2013 to 2022.
Criminal groups have also expanded into online scams, wildlife trafficking, money laundering and human trafficking.
In reponse, UNODC has promoted regional cooperation through the establishment of approximately 120 border liaison offices to facilitate intelligence sharing and coordinated action.
“Collaborating on security issues can be challenging for states, but the UN plays a crucial role in fostering dialogue,” said Mr. Jeremy Douglas, until recently the UNODC Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific and now Chief of Staff and Strategy Advisor to the Executive Director.
The impact of transnational crime is not limited to producer countries.
New synthetic drugs are on the rise, particularly in North America, which faces a fentanyl crisis, as well as in emerging areas such as Asia and Africa. Western and Central European countries, particularly those on the North Sea, also face considerable challenges, with their ports becoming major entry points for cocaine.
Moreover, drug trafficking is just one lucrative activity of transnational organized crime groups. Organized fraud is a growing concern for Member States. Wildlife crime is interconnected with the activities of large and powerful organized crime groups operating in some of the most fragile and diverse ecosystems, from the Amazon to the Golden Triangle. Transnational organized crime – including gold and fuel trafficking are depriving impoverished countries in the Sahel of much-needed income and negatively impacts peace and security, human rights, governance and sustainable development.
That said, UNODC remains committed to supporting global efforts.
“Despite these challenges, there is hope,” Ms. Welsch said.
She highlighted the importance of public awareness campaigns targeting youth and community programs involving parents and teachers, as well as the need to ensure that everyone who requires treatment for drug abuse can access it.
“The only way to overcome global problems is to galvanize international action. That is why UNODC is joining forces with partners to help secure our common future.”
A version of this article originally appeared on UN News.
