Transnational Organized Crime

958 Words2 Pages

Transnational organized crime is a significant threat to global peace and security. The menace presents a distinct challenge for post-conflict and fragile countries and necessitates the use of innovative responses. Transnational organized crime (TOC) not only destabilizes the strength of a state, but also considerably affects the core relationship between countries and their citizens. The corrupt nature of this correlation in fragile and post-war nations thwarts any efforts taken to restore peace, security, and prosperity. According to Locke (2012, p. 1), approximately eighty percent of all the illegal activities in the world occur in nations with feeble law enforcement machinery, unsatisfactory capacity of the government, low economic well-being, …show more content…

It also deters a country’s aptitude to realize any meaningful economic and social development for most of the fragile and post-war states. It dents family, religious, and social structures, and impacts every individual, men, women, and children alike. Recently, TOC has evolved into a systemic element of governance in countries such as Guatemala and Ukraine, whereby government officials and politicians have changed it from a reason for prosecution to an alleged rationale for revolutions (Wyler, 2008, p. 22). The apparent relationship between TOC, conflict, and state fragility is the focus of this …show more content…

According to Miraglia, Ochoa, and Briscoe (2012, p. 11), one of the primary aspects of the logistical maneuvers of TOC involves the use of frail countries as intermediate transit points for a particular supply chain. This view holds that the penetration of TOC in a particular state is not necessarily as a result of the criminal network’s interest in the local market with regard to consumption or production. Instead, criminals may exploit the inherent weaknesses of such states by creating routes for the passage of illegal goods in transit to another destination. The global infrastructure presents various opportunities that international criminal organizations can appropriate to serve the growing demand for illegal products. Efforts to enhance border security and manage criminal activities are considerably hindered by the speed and flexibility of commerce, easy electronic communication, and the diversification of routes used for trading purposes (Carment, Prest, & Samy, 2009, p. 329). Although various techniques may be employed to curb cross-border trafficking, including meticulous checks in custom posts and borders or the scanning of containers, such measures are hindered

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