Global Organized Crime Insights

Annual Overview: Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC)

Mission and Network

• GI-TOC is a global network of over 600 independent experts focused on human rights, democracy, governance, and development, tackling the intersection of organized crime with these issues worldwide.

Major Publications and Analyses

• The Global Organized Crime Index 2025: Released 10 Nov 2025; a comparative global assessment tracking crime trends across multiple regions.
• Environmental Crimes in the Amazon: Published 8 Nov 2025, highlighting current trends and emerging threats.
• Illicit Hub Mapping in West and Central Africa: Comprehensive mapping of 350 illicit hubs, released in 2025.
• Fuel in the Central African Republic: Examines how fuel is used as a weapon in conflict and as a source of criminal profit (6 Nov 2025).
• Human Smuggling in North Africa and the Sahel: 2025 analysis of smuggling and trafficking routes and dynamics.
• Crime by Drone: 30 Oct 2025 publication on the evolving use of drones in organized crime.
• Sanctions in the Western Balkans: Assessing the effectiveness of sanctions (28 Oct 2025).
• Other notable briefs: Arms control and private military actors in Mali; legal reform proposals for South Africa's anti-crime laws; illicit plant trade in Southern Africa; Haiti’s governance and community crisis; anti-corruption in the Western Balkans.

At-a-Glance: Recent Key Publications

Initiatives and Observatories

• Initiatives:

  • Global Organized Crime Index: Global benchmarking of criminality and resilience.
  • Resilience Fund: Support for community-based responses to organized crime harm.
  • Eco-Solve: Environmental crime intervention solutions.
  • ENACT: Focused on African organized crime trends and capacity building.
  • IUU Fishing Index: Monitoring illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
  • UN-TOC Watch: Oversight of UN Crime Convention processes.
  • JIED, IASOC: Research and academic initiatives on illicit economies.

• Regional Observatories:

  • CSA-Obs (Central/South America), SA-Obs (Southern Africa), AR-Obs (Andean Region), ESA-Obs (East/Southern Africa), SEE-Obs (South East Europe), NAS-Obs (North Africa & Sahel), EAS-Obs (Eurasia), APA-Obs (Asia-Pacific), WEA-Obs (West Africa), CAM-Obs (Central America & Mexico).

Key Activities

• Regular publication of analytical reports and risk bulletins on crime trends, governance challenges, and strategic interventions.
• Expert events such as the launch of the Africa Organized Crime Index and focused discussions on illicit economies, resilience, and sanctions.
• Podcasts (selected series):
  • Mekong Matters: Focus on financial crimes and regional trends in the Mekong area.
  • Underworlds with Mark Shaw: Topics ranging from cybercrime, maritime crime, mafia networks, to money laundering in tech.
  • Ripple Effect: In-depth on political assassinations, investigations, and the protection of at-risk groups.
  • Deep Dive: Exploration of global organized crime cases, including syndicate takedowns and market disruptors.

Podcasts Snapshot

Events and Announcements

• Nov 2025: Africa Organized Crime Index launch (ENACT)
• Multiple resilience-focused events (WEA-Obs/Resilience Fund)
• Ongoing analysis and discussion sessions on sanctions, arms control, and organized crime trends in various regions

This overview highlights GI-TOC’s global mission, research leadership, scale of expert collaboration, and wide-ranging activities against transnational organized crime.