B.6. Global efforts to curb organized crimes and terrorism
The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) identified cybercrime, identity-related crimes, trafficking in cultural property, environmental crime, piracy, organ trafficking, and fraudulent medicine as new and emerging crimes of concern. The emergence of these new crime types gives rise to the need for law enforcement response to adapt its efforts and capacities accordingly.
The Convention represents a major step forward in the fight against transnational organized crime and signifies the recognition by the Member States of the seriousness of the problems posed by it, as well as the need to foster and enhance close international cooperation to tackle those problems.
- States that ratify this instrument commit themselves to take a series of measures against transnational organized crime, including the creation of domestic criminal offenses (participation in an organized criminal group, money laundering, corruption, and obstruction of justice);
- The adoption of new and sweeping frameworks for extradition, mutual legal assistance, and law enforcement cooperation;
- And the promotion of training and technical assistance for building or upgrading the necessary capacity of national authorities.
Addressing the linkages between organized crime and terrorism has become an increasing priority for the international community. The UN has adopted several resolutions focused on addressing the links between terrorism and various forms of organized crime.
UNODC supports links between organized crime and terrorism through a variety of projects. This includes initiatives on improving border management, such as profiling high-risk passengers and cargo, facilitating international cooperation, and combating the financing of terrorism.
In 2019, the Security Council adopted resolution 2482, which urged Member States to address the links between terrorism and organized crime, by adopting policy measures.
Great strides have been made to better understand the linkages between terrorists and organized criminal groups owing to the adoption of Resolution 2482 with the emphasis on the following measures:
- Ratifying relevant legal instruments, including the global counter-terrorism instruments, the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and the international drug control conventions;
- Fighting money-laundering, terrorist financing, and corruption by firming up Financial Intelligence Units, following relevant United Nations instruments and resolutions and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations, as well as building public-private partnerships;
- Strengthening border security and international coordination, for example by collecting and analysing API/PNR passenger data;
- Implementing comprehensive responses to drug demand and illicit drug trafficking;
- Improving prison management, to prevent radicalization to violence and recidivism; and
- Developing strategies incorporating whole-of-society approaches to prevent and counter violent extremism.
These can facilitate the legislative, policy, and operational responses.