The Consequences Of Transnational Organized Crime

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Smuggling is the movement of anything between nation-states that one or both countries do not allow (Andreas, 2009). This is distinct from trafficking, that has no movement requirement and is about use. An example is human trafficking, which includes activities such as child soldiers, forced marriage, and involuntary servitude. Smuggling is an activity that has been in existence since the invention of jurisdiction-based boundaries. It has always been a small percentage of commerce and will remain a small percentage into the future. Only certain businesses and individuals will choose to enter the high-risk, high-reward world of smuggling. The consequences of being discovered by the authorities will continue to deter most people from …show more content…
It is the illicit market’s version of the globalization of trade. Organized crime participates in just as diverse of a market as the legitimate global market on a daily basis. They are both fluid systems driven by supply and demand of products (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2015). Since these criminal organizations operate across borders, they are commonly referred to collectively as transnational organized crime. The threat it poses is best summed up as “a significant and growing threat to national and international security, with dire implications for public safety, public health, democratic institutions, and economic stability across the globe” (White House, 2011). Transnational organized crime has the ability to increase corruption, destabilize areas, exploit legitimate economic markets, and partner with terrorist organizations to enable funding (White House, 2011). While the threat is real, in all reality it remains a component that flourishes in unstable areas and takes advantage of opportunities. Transnational organized crime has a harder time thriving in areas of consistent, centralized control and enforcement actions carried out on a regular basis. As with all crime, it will never go away, but the impact can be

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