Notes on Transnational Crime Lecture

Introduction

• Speaker: Stuart Patrick (Host)
• Guest: Phil Williams, POSVAR Chair in International Security at University of Pittsburgh.
• Topic: Transnational crime as a major concern for the international community.

Impact of Globalization on Transnational Crime

• Globalization's Benefits to Crime:
  • Facilitates criminal operations through increased global flows.
  • Intermodal containers have advanced smuggling and trafficking.
• Winners and Losers:
  • Globalization has not benefited everyone, leading some to engage in organized crime for survival.

Financial Deregulation and Crime

• 1970s Deregulation:
  • Led to the rise of global capital markets; some re-regulation attempted to combat money laundering.
• Post-9/11 Environment:
  • Conflation of money laundering and terrorist financing complicates understanding of criminal activities.
  • Criminals seek to legitimize proceeds, while terrorists primarily raise funds for operations.

Nexus between Organized Crime and Terrorism

• Critique of "Nexus" Concept:
  • The term is politically appealing but analytically flawed; relationships are often market-based rather than direct.
• Cooperation in Certain Contexts:
  • Insurgents and criminals may collaborate, especially in specific geographical areas (e.g., kidnapping in Iraq).

Evolution of Criminal Organizations

• Shift from Hierarchical to Networked Structures:
  • Criminal organizations are now more networked and less hierarchical, though some traditional models still exist.
  • Example: Ndrangheta showed complexity beyond simple network models.
• Hybrid Models:
  • Many organizations may encompass both hierarchical and networked elements.

Relationship Between States and Criminal Networks

• Sovereignty-Free Actors:
  • Criminal networks operate in ways that challenge state authority.
  • States are often ill-equipped to deal with these non-state actors.
• Exploiting Weak States:
  • Organized crime thrives in weak states; they exploit capacity gaps and can even act as alternative governance.
  • Examples: FARC, Taliban using criminal activities for funding.

Multilateral Efforts Against Transnational Crime

• Challenges of Multilateralism:
  • Often results in lowest common denominator solutions; bureaucratic and slow to adapt to agile criminal networks.
• Need for Effective Strategies:
  • U.S. and EU have recognized organized crime as a major threat, but more effective, responsive strategies are needed.

Conclusion

• Closing remarks by Stuart Patrick.
• Invitation to join the conversation on cfr.org.