The activities of transnational crime organizations generate between 1.6 and 2.2 trillion US dollars per year worldwide. The amount not only fills the pockets of the perpetrators. Resources will also serve to finance violence and corruption in countries on five continents.
"The transnational crime is a business ... and a very good business , " is based on the study of the Global Financial Integrity, Transnational Crime and the Developing World.
In fact, money is the main driver for the commission of 11 activities mean looting, exploitation and death:
drug trafficking; traffic light weapons;trafficking; trade in organs; trafficking in cultural property; counterfeit products;illegal wildlife trade; Illegal and / or unreported; illegal logging; illegal mining, and theft of crude oil.
"These crimes undermine local and national economies, destroy the environment and endanger the health and welfare of the population". Worse, the report says, it is that transnational crime will continue to grow.While the benefits are high these activities, the risks are low, generally live those involved in them.
The retail value of international crime, criminal activity is
between 426 billion and 652 billion dollars for drug trafficking ;
1 mil 700000000-3000 500 million from thesale of light weapons and small;
150 billion 200 million for trafficking in persons ;
between 840 million and 1 billion 700 million for trafficking in organs;
from 1 billion 200 million and 1 billion 600 million for trafficking in cultural property;
from 923 billion to 1 trillion 130 billion by counterfeiting and piracy;
of 5 to 23 billion illegal trade in wildlife;
15 thousand 500000000-36000 400 million for illegal or unreported fishing;
between 52 billion and 157 billion by logging and timber trafficking;
of 12 to 48 billion by illegal mining,
and between 5000 200000000-11000 900 million for theft of crude oil.
"These figures express the difficulty of trying to quantify such processes , " says the master in finance Jorge Retana Yarto, who has specialized in international economics and intelligence for national security.
And for Retana , author of The Empire of transnational mafias , the figures could be much higher, as noted by other studies.
Provide estimates is complicated because it involves transactions in the underground economy and criminal economy. Quantitatively , it is very difficult to find reliable data. "So I opted for qualitative analysis."
Everything is finally a matter of finance, says the document of the Global Financial Integrity.
Therefore it urges "governments, experts, the private sector and civil society" to reduce the spaces of the financial system in the shade , ie which allows money laundering crime. It is time, says the document published on 28 March, to promote "greater financial transparency."
The study warns that estimates is based only on what has been confiscated, detect or impound, "interdictions that transparency through the clandestine nature of the markets."
So I can only estimate a percentage of total represent actual trading.
"The illicit nature of these markets means that participants have an interest in opaque markets operations, limiting the quantity and quality of data."
First of all, organized crime is a business.Those who participate in it are largely motivated by financial gain. Therefore, the financial management of these groups is critical to your success.
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"Criminals not only get economic benefits of illicit income, but use the revenue to sustain operations and fund additional criminal activities."
In addition, criminal organizations immediately adopt new technologies are at the forefront of telecommunications and computer equipment, for example, and adapt quickly to changing scenarios and are able to see the opportunities that are generated for them with every situation crisis, natural disasters, social upheavals and civil wars.
Jorge Retana Yarto states that are thousands of organizations worldwide dedicated to these activities. "But there are a number of organizations on which revolve the various businesses of transnational crime."
The fight against organized crime was done, the doctor and specialist in Latin American studies in international economics Daniel Inclan Solis, particularly complicated in the present. "Since there is no border between organized crime and contemporary institution , " he says.
"What we have is a symbiosis that is extraordinarily effective."
drug trafficking
The drug world market reaches a value of between 426 billion and 652 billion dollars.
Alone means one - third of the value of the business of transnational crime.
Illegal drug most drawn off and more money means is marijuana , followed by cocaine, opiates (extracted from poppy, like morphine and heroin) and amphetamine - type stimulants (ATS acronym English Amphetamine-Type Stimulants).
Marijuana and ATS are produced worldwide, while cocaine only in South America and opiates primarily inAfghanistan .
The report documents that in the production and trafficking of drugs cartels involved from organized crime to terrorist organizations and guerrilla groups.
The West African criminal organizations have increased, the study found , control of the drug market in the region. They have also managed to increase the volume of heroin trafficked from Afghanistan.
This has resulted in an increase in consumption.
Arms trafficking
The global market value of illegal transfer of small arms is much less than other high-impact crimes, but is the most impact on the safety of people.
Its value amounts to between 1 000 500 million and 3 billion 500 million dollars . It represents between 10 and 20 percent of clegal RADE weapons.
This crime and amounts reaching directly associated with political tensions and the level of conflict in certain regions.
Prices also depend on the distance they have to travel the weapons to the destination where they are used.
Many of the weapons were sold legally then used to commit terrorist acts in Western Europe.
The online sale of weapons has begun to represent "a growing challenge to fight."
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Human Trafficking
One of the fastest growing criminal market is that of trafficking. People are trafficked for sex or to force them to work.
More than 21 million men, women and children around the world are victims of human trafficking.
Gains this crime generates worldwide amounted to 150 billion 200 million dollars each year , says the document to figures from the International Labor Organization.
Only in the Asia-Pacific market annually it generates 51 thousand 800 million with about 11 million 700 thousand victims.
Responsible for another third of the market value are developed countries and the European Union: 46 000 900 million. The difference is that the toll is less than 1 million 500 thousand people.
The document Global Financial Integrity says that "trafficking in human beings is playing an increasingly important role in the activities and terrorist and insurgent groups role, and the spread of internet has provided additional means traffickers powerful to reach both the victims and the victimizers. "
illegal organ trade
Illegal organ trafficking generates between 840 million and 1 billion 700 million dollars each year.
Performed around 12,000 transplants illegally annually manner. The five human organs most sold in this illegal trade are: kidney, liver, heart, lungs and pancreas.
The lower costs and higher traffic are the kidneys, it can come from "donors" alive.
Those who are engaged in trade in human organs "operate within sophisticated and specialized networks to recruit vendors, recipients and necessary medical professionals."
The paper points out that often donors participate voluntarily. "While there are other scenarios that are pressured or forced into the transaction."
There are proven cases in which organ traffickers forced migrants and refugees to sell kidneys to pay the passage to Europe,for example.
cultural property
Annual global revenues from illicit trade in cultural property is estimated at 1 billion 200 million and 1 billion 600 million dollars.The activities of this type of crime ranging from stealing parts from museums to illicit transfers of ownership of these assets.
And in the middle of this spectrum of possibilities are illegal excavations in archaeological sites, looting and the use of forged documents to allow the export or import of parts.
In addition , the range of goods subject to this transfer is not quantifiable , according to estimates by the Global Financial Integrity.
"China is one of the markets fastest growing art, legal and illegal, driven in part by capital flight".
Counterfeit and piracy
Trade in counterfeit and pirated goods is the most valuable crime globally.
According to the report, it means between 923 billion and 1 trillion 130 billion dollars.Almost three quarters of counterfeit and pirated goods come from China.
"Chinese mafia, organized in triads, also decanted drugs from Asia" says Retana Yarto.
But one of its most important business is counterfeit clothing brands:
"You can sell a suit like an Armani suit, forged at a price of a third or fourth. And they get away millions and millions of euros a year. "
He explains that "for organized crime groups, counterfeiting is an ideal way to launder the proceeds from the commission of other crimes and even crimes to finance other way."
In developing countries such as Mexico - up to 30 percent of available drugs are counterfeit pharmaceuticals.
It is noted in the study of the Global Financial Integrity.
Drugs are the largest type of products being counterfeited. Alone are worth between 70 billion and annual 200 billion, ie up to 25 percent of the total market for counterfeiting.
Other counterfeit goods also greatly endangers the health of people: food, whichare generally toxic or useless.
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illegal wildlife
The value of illegal wildlife trade is estimated at between 5 billion and 23 billion dollars.
One of the most important components of this market value are ivory and rhino horn.
But in terms of number of copies for trafficked species, the pangolin carries by far the first place.
As for money raised by organized crime, sales of ivory and rhino horn can be similar to those of cocaine and heroin.
However, it is highlighted in the study, legal penalties for hunting elephants and rhinoceroses and the transfer of tusks and horns are "considerably more lenient".
Wildlife trafficking involves the best organized criminal organizations.
"The illegal wildlife trade is based on a sophisticated global supply chain, directed by organized crime groups well funded".
This crime creates havoc on local communities and national economies; but its harmful effects are global, because it harms the environment.
Illegal minery
Extraction and illegal trade in minerals generate revenue by between 12 billion and 48 billion dollars each year, according toestimates by the United Nations Environment Program and Interpol, included in the study Transnational Crime and the Developing World .
Only illegal gold mining in nine Latin American countries represents approximately 7 billion dollars annually.
Meanwhile, illegally mined diamonds have a value of 2 000 740 million; They represent 20 percent of total trade of these precious stones.
"The exploitation of natural resources is a lucrative source of funding for organized crime groups, terrorist organizations and insurgencies."
Oil theft
Theft of crude has a value of between 5 billion 200 million and 11 thousand 900 million dollars every year.
The available data refer only six countries: Colombia, Indonesia, Mexico, Syria, Russia and Nigeria.
The volumes will be higher when achieved include estimates of other countries with problems also fuel theft.
Most oil theft occurs in Syria , where the 2016 Islamic State controlled all the main sites in the country.
With respect to Mexico and Colombia , the study shows that the amount stolen in these countries is "very small";
but the concern is that the cartels violent drug are those who have been heavily involved in this crime; moreover, theft of fuel is used to fund the production of cocaine.
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Criminals, beyond stereotypes
Most of these high-impact crimes are committed by well-organized groups with sophisticated structures and transnational operations.
"For some, the mention of organized crime organizations reminiscent of the mafia portrayed in films like The Godfather: Glitzy criminal organizations, hierarchically structured and aligned along family and ethnic relations, codes of honor".
These stereotypes do exist She points to the document- but they are only a small part of all criminal organizations.
The Convention of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime defines these organizations as "a structured group of three or more persons, existing for a period of time and acting in concert in order to commit one or more serious crimes [... ] looking directly or indirectly a financial or other material benefit ".
Other crimes and recommendations
The study warns that in future editions more transnational organized crime activities that already generate large amounts of resources and represent a very important social harm include:
cybercrime, illegal dumping and illegal smuggling of legal goods.
"The number of criminal activities varies", he says about Jorge Retana Yarto.
"There are authors who speak more than 20 different fields. So when we talk of organized crime is using an almost generic concept, because some are primarily engaged in contract killings, those get their resources there.
Others mainly engaged in the traffic of drugs.
Others are dedicated to the transfer of drugs with smuggling organs.
You have to make very specific analysis of what are the main areas through which are a criminal organization generates most of its income. "
All transnational crimes , which have been around long standing and being incorporated in recent decades, need of local financial systems and the international financial system.
"The networks involved in these illicit markets are similar to large global corporations , and need access to finance and banking to be profitable and continue operating.
Following Roberto Saviano, Retana Yarto explains that mafia organizations have three levels.
The first is to address: the high capos.
The second is the operative part, the business, which makes them function as multinational criminal goods and services.
And the third level is armed or paramilitary organization.
"On the second level, the operational part of the business, act as any multinational company; create incentives. And they have managed to create a large network of companies.
Some ghost companies but many also real, totally legal, it is very difficult for public authorities to discover whether they are linked or not to a criminal organization which generates resources.
So generate resources significantly and businesses already have fully regularized. "
Thus,
The findings of the study is to promote greater financial transparency in all countries.
If indeed seeks to combat transnational organized crime, "countries should require companies to register and do business within their borders declare the names of the real owners of the entity.
Customs and central bank authorities should identify the financial and commercial transactions involving individuals and corporations in 'secrecy jurisdictions', who should require additional documentation to ensure they are not involved in illegal activities " .
In addition, customs officials should examine import bills and export to prevent smuggling, verify the declared values and investigate suspicious transactions.
And governments also need to "share more information on illicit markets and actors that exist within their borders. Share this information will help avoid loopholes, strengthen investigations into possible abuses and support stricter enforcement of the laws of the country. "
Journalist and chief information officer of the Mexican magazine Contralínea.Investigative journalism . He graduated from the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences of the UNAM.
He is interested in social movements, armed movements, national security, indigenous peoples and poverty. ( Twitter
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