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Yangon Model United Nations, 2014 | VI Annual Session
Research Report | Page 1 of 9
Forum: United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime
Issue: Strengthening measures regarding international security as a way of combating transnational organized crimes
Student Officer: Yin Lett Win
Position: Chair
Introduction
In recent years, transnational organized crime has become a matter of major international concern.
Needless to say, a rise in organized crime is a definite threat to international security and world peace.
The problem manifests itself throughout the world, such as drug trafficking in Moscow, fraud in the
United Kingdom, trafficking of women for prostitution into Italy, and other forms of fraud in the United
States and Australia. Transnational organized crime in West Africa has been on the rise, with criminals
operating in global illicit markets, sometimes working together with other international criminals.
Transnational organized crime takes the form of drug trafficking, people trafficking, fraud, and partaking
in other criminal activities.
Definition of Key Terms
International security
Measures taken by states and international organizations to ensure survival and safety in the
international community. These measures include military action and diplomatic agreements such as
treaties and conventions.
Transnational
Operating beyond national boundaries or interests
Organized Crime
Illegal behavior conducted by groups of people in an organized manner, for the purpose of obtaining
power, influence, monetary and/or commercial gains
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Illegal Market
It is a market in which goods or services are traded illegally. The key distinction of a black market trade
is that the transaction itself is illegal even though the goods or services themselves may or may not be
illegal.
Mafia
An organized international body of criminals, operating originally in Sicily and currently especially in Italy
and the US. It includes around 200 Russian groups that operate in nearly 60 countries worldwide. They
have been involved in racketeering, fraud, tax evasion, gambling, drug trafficking, arson, robbery, and
murder.
History
Organized crime in West Africa
Organized crime in West Africa is perceived to have emerged in the 1970s, a time linked with the
rise of oil prices, high inflation, de-linking of the dollar from gold, and the rapid spread of debt in
developing countries. After the end of the oil boom in Nigeria, in the early 1980s, Nigerians were driven
to spread throughout the region and search for economic opportunity, by any means necessary.
According to a Sierra Leonean police source, the Nigerians were the first to introduce organized crime in
Sierra Leone. Before the early 1980s, Nigeria had been a magnet for immigrants, especially Ghanaians.
There was a development of networks of people with experience of international migration, with some
resorting to undertaking criminal activities. As the number of immigrants increased, there was an
emergence of crime and violence.
Nigeria
In Nigeria, elements of the organized crime can be identified before 1975 in the form of
organized groups involved in attempts to transfer funds outside the country by over-invoicing, or
importing sub-standard goods for delivery to government departments, in return for illicit
payments paid to government officials. In the 1980s, there was a flourishing of organized crime in
Nigeria. This can be attributed to the corruption of the civilian government of 1979-1983 and the
introduction of a structural adjustment program in 1986. This resulted in a rise in poverty and
unemployment, increase in emigration and a poorly regulated financial sector. Poorly regulated
financial institutions and banks created new opportunities for money laundering, fraud, and illegal
foreign exchange transactions. Corruption became rife and the growth of emigration during the
late 1980s led to the creation of a transnational prostitution business.
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Ghana
In Ghana, organized crime emerged in the 1980s, mainly caused by the problems and
opportunities offered by international migration. Ghanaians migrated widely, with the onset of
major economic problems in the 1970s, seeking economic and social advancement. When large
numbers of Ghanaians were forcibly expelled from Nigeria in 1982, and other foreign job markets
became more difficult to enter, more people became attracted to illicit forms of earning money.
Caption #1: Map of West Africa
Key Issues
Corruption
Most transnational trafficking requires smuggling, and corruption is an integral part. In poorer states, the
highest authorities can quickly become manipulated and bribed by traffickers. If authorities are not
compliant, crime groups can implement the removal of problematic officials and support insurgents.
Under such circumstances, the officials may give in to the traffickers. Inadequate border controls and
inefficiency of law enforcement bodies in regions where there are high levels of unemployment and low
salaries create ideal conditions for corruption. An important thing to note is that some important
networks, such as Albanian and Kurdish groups, have hierarchical structures, which make them
especially hard to infiltrate.
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Human Trafficking
Human trafficking has become a global phenomenon, with victims from about 127 countries detected.
According to data reported to UNODC, two-thirds of the victims reported were women, with 79% of the
victims subjected to sexual exploitation. The European Union is a major destination for victims of
trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation, with at least 95 foreign nationalities represented.
With the end of the Cold War, a large number of workers moved from Eastern to Western Europe. Some
of these laborers were forced to become sex workers. In 2005-2006, 51% of human trafficking victims in
Europe were from the Balkans or the former Soviet Union, in particular, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, the
Russian Federation, and the Republic of Moldova. But this appears to be changing; as women trafficked
from other parts of the world are becoming more prominent. There is an estimate of 140,000 trafficking
victims in Europe, generating an income of US $3 billion for their exploiters. There is a stable trend of
over 70,000 new entries annually. (UNODC, “The Globalization of Crime”)
Cybercrime
With the widespread availability and usage of the Internet, there has been an increase in crimes such as
identity theft, transnational trafficking, and child pornography. Although online identity theft is less
common than other forms of crime, it appears to be the most prevalent in more economically developed
countries (MEDCs), in terms of victims and perpetrators. There is a concern that the rise of the Internet
would increase demand for the production and distribution of child pornography to the point that multi-
crime groups would begin victimizing children for profit. Currently, an increasing share of child
pornography is exchanged between peers on a non-commercial basis.
Drug trafficking and abuse
Certain drugs are prohibited because they cause addiction and lead to serious physical and mental
health problems. The impact extends beyond the users, affecting their families and the society at large.
It’s challenging to accurately measure the number of drug addicts in the world as addicts in developing
countries often go uncounted and those in richer nations tend to handle the matter privately. According
to the available data in 2007, there are between 172 million and 250 million adults who used illicit drugs.
Cocaine and heroin are two of the most trafficked drugs in the world.
Cocaine
Most of the cocaine users are in North America and Europe, with North America
accounting for more than 40% of global cocaine consumption.
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Heroin
More users die from heroin use and are forced to seek treatment for addiction than for
any other illicit drug. Users develop both tolerance and physical dependence, requiring more of the drug
to produce the same effect and inducing severe withdrawal symptoms if the drug is not taken in. About
90% of the world’s heroin comes from opium grown in Afghanistan. Myanmar and Lao PDR are two of
the leading heroin producers in Southeast Asia, producing about 50 tons of heroin annually.
Caption #3: Global Heroin Consumption
Major Parties Involved and Their Views
The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
This convention was adopted by General Assembly resolution 55/25 of 15 November 2000, and it
is the main international tool in the fight against transnational organized crime. It contains three
Protocols, which target specific areas of organized crime. States that ratify this convention commit
themselves to taking the necessary measures against transnational organized crime, including the
creation of domestic criminal offenses, the adoption of new frameworks, mutual legal assistance, and the
promotion of technical assistance for upgrading the capacity of national authorities.
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The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children
This protocol was adopted by General Assembly resolution 55/25 and entered into force on 25
December 2003. “It is the first global legally binding instrument with an agreed definition on trafficking in
persons” (UNODC, “The UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime”). The main purpose is
to facilitate cooperation in national approaches for the establishment of domestic criminal offenses that
would support international cooperation in investigating trafficking cases. The Protocol seeks to protect
the victims of trafficking with full respect for their human rights.
The Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air
This protocol was adopted by General Assembly resolution 55/25 and entered into force on 28
January 2004. It deals with organized crime groups who smuggle migrants. The Protocol developed the
official definition of smuggling of migrants. The Protocol aims at preventing and combating the smuggling
of migrants while promoting cooperation among parties and protecting the rights of smuggled migrants.
The Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition
This protocol was adopted by General Assembly resolution 55/255 of 31 May 2001. It entered
into force on 3 July 2005. It aims to promote, facilitate and strengthen cooperation among States Parties
to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms.
Caption #4: The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime Logo
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White House Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime
The strategy was released by the White House on July 2011, and set out five policy objectives “to build,
balance, and integrate the tools of American power to combat transnational organized crime and related
threats to national security – and to urge our foreign partners to do the same.”
National Guard
The National Guard established the CTOC Center of Excellence (COE) to educate and
train Combatant Commands, military services, federal agencies, state and law enforcement, and
community leaders. The TOC combines investigative resources from several agencies to discover links
between local and international crimes.
Interpol
Interpol is the largest international police organization in the world and is made up of 190 member
nations. The agency’s biggest priority is to maintain a secure global police information system between
the National Central Bureaus of each member nation. It provides support to police and law enforcement
agencies of all member nations and assists in the identification of crimes and criminals (Wikipedia,
“Interpol”).
Timeline of Relevant Resolutions, Treaties, and Events
Date Description of event
1957
1967 - 1970
Ghana gained independence from colonial rule.
Nigeria embroiled in civil war after one region of the country had broken
away to claim independence.
1973-1979 Crises of rising oil prices in West African regions.
15 November 2000
September 2002
The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
was adopted.
Cote d’Ivoire lapsed into war.
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2005 2005 Resolution 2005/22 to promote crime prevention by the Economic and
Social Council (ECOSOC)
2008 Resolution 2008/24 Strengthening prevention of urban crime: an integrated
approach
July 2011 The White House Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime was
released.
Evaluation of Previous Attempts to Resolve the Issue
In the 2005 Resolution 2005/22 to promote crime prevention by the Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC), the committee requested UNODC to achieve a balanced approach
between crime prevention, criminal justice responses, and to further develop initiatives on crime
prevention.
In 2008, ECOSOC, in its Resolution 2008/24 Strengthening prevention of urban crime: an
integrated approach, encouraged member states to integrate crime prevention considerations
into all relevant social and economic policies and programs in order to effectively address the
conditions in which crime and violence can emerge (UNODC, “Crime Prevention”).
Currently, the main instrument for fighting transnational organized crime (TOC) is the UN
Convention on Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC). It was finalized in 2000 in Palermo,
Italy and defined a TC group as a structured organization with three or more members and
establishes legislative standards for nations to implement. However, the convention has a
limited ability to inform and influence operational practices.
Possible Solutions
To combat transnational organized crimes, international cooperation is undeniably needed. For drug
trafficking to cease to exist, there needs to be a comprehensive approach that aims to tackle the sources
of global drug production and anti-drug trafficking efforts must be exercised in a stricter manner.
Corruption is a major component of the transnational organized crime, and therefore, countries’
governments and legal systems should aim to improve their transparency and increase fines for corrupt
practices. For those people with drug abuse problems, there is an increasing need for drug rehabilitation
programs and support. There needs to be more governmental efforts to implement drug rehabilitation
programs and anti-drug campaigns, especially in LEDCs. The international community needs to have
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multiple meetings to discuss possible solutions and reevaluate their anti-trafficking policies. There needs
to be an increased global awareness on the dangers of transnational organized crimes, which can be
implemented by educating the public.
Bibliography
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"Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime: Definition." The White House. The White House. Web. 29 Jan. 2016. <https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/nsc/transnational- crime/definition>.
"Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime." The White House. The White House. Web. 29 Jan. 2016. <https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/nsc/transnational- crime/strategy>.
"Transnational Organized Crime: Let's Put Them out of Business." Transnational Organized Crime: The Globalized Illegal Economy. Web. 29 Jan. 2016. <https://www.unodc.org/toc/en/crimes/organized-crime.html>.
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