The Index

Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
The Index

The Index is a podcast based around the Global Organized Crime Index, an online tool that ranks levels of criminality and resilience in 193 countries. From drug trafficking and mafia-style crimes to criminal justice and security – In this series we’ll take a deep dive into the Global Organized Crime Index with leading experts and look at some of the biggest organized crime threats facing countries and regions around the world. The Index was nominated for 'Best Video Podcast' at the 2024 Publishers Podcast Awards. Disclaimer: This series was funded in part by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

  1. 29 THG 10

    The Mocro Mafia in Western Europe

    The 'Marengo Trial' lasted years, finally resulting in multiple convictions of the so-called Mocro Mafia, including one of its most infamous leaders, Ridouan Taghi, who was convicted of murder among other things. Who are the Mocro Mafia? They were born out of the Dutch-Moroccan community in the Netherlands during the 90s, starting with the smuggling of hashish before moving onto the much more profitable cocaine. Its estimated that they control up to a third of the cocaine market in Europe. But they have also left a trail of destruction in their wake, journalists and lawyers have been murdered, bombs have been detonated, many have been killed. The Mocro Mafia have grown beyond the Netherlands and now operate transnationally, they are active in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, the UAE, Suriname, Colombia and Spain. According to the Global Organized Crime Index, there has been an increase in the 'Criminal Actor' and 'Criminal Markets' score in Western Europe. Criminal markets have increased from 4.06 to 4.48 out of 10. All criminal markets have increased over the last few years in this region, but the largest increase was in the Mocro Mafia's prime market, the cocaine trade, now at 5.77 out of 10 - that is the highest regional score in Europe. Presenter: Thin Lei Win Speaker(s): Sarah Fares, Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime OC Index Country profile(s): Netherlands country profile Germany country profile Belgium country profile Spain country profile Suriname country profile UAE country profile Colombia country profile Additional Links: Violence without borders: Why is drug-related violence spilling over into Germany? The Global Organized Crime Index Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

    15 phút
  2. 15 THG 7

    The War in Ukraine & Arms Trafficking

    Ukraine (9/10) and Russia (8.5/10), alongside the former Soviet states of Moldova and Belarus, have some of the highest scores for arms trafficking in the Global Organized Crime Index. This is due to the significant levels of weapons and ammunition left over at the end of the Soviet period. In addition to the high levels of arms trafficking across this part of Europe, Central and Eastern Europe has the highest scores for state-embedded actors on the European continent (Russia, 8.5/10; Ukraine, 8/10). Since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Western nations have sent weapons to Ukraine to aid in its struggle, but there are concerns that these weapons could leak out into the illicit markets of Europe and end up in the hands of organized crime. Currently there is no evidence of this, the Ukrainian government has put in strict measures to prevent this from happening. In this episode, we look at the war in Ukraine, and arms trafficking. Presenter: Thin Lei Win Speakers: Daniel Brombacher, Director of the Europe Observatory, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime Links: (Paper) Smoke on the Horizon: Trends in arms trafficking from the conflict in Ukraine OC Index Country profiles: Ukraine Country Profile Russia Country Profile Moldova Country Profile Belarus Country Profile The Global Organized Crime Index GITOC - The Observatory of Illicit Markets and the Conflict in Ukraine (UKR-Obs) GITOC - The Observatory of Organized Crime in Europe (EUR-Obs) Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

    16 phút
  3. 10 THG 6

    The Netherlands, illicit drugs and Western Balkans organized crime

    The Netherlands is an important global trading hub, with Rotterdam being one of the worlds largest container ports in the world. The country's high quality infrastructure and the well known liberal approach to drugs makes the Netherlands attractive to organized criminal groups. And those originating in the Western Balkans have long been active in the Netherlands. According to the Global Organized Crime Index, the Netherlands has high levels of foreign criminal actors with 6 out of 10 - an increase of 1.50 in just two years – only Bangladesh and Afghanistan have seen larger increases. Alongside that, the levels of cocaine and synthetic drugs are extremely high - for cocaine the Netherlands sits 21st globally with 7.5 out of 10, and for synthetic drugs it’s even higher at 8 out of 10 – which is 15th globally. In today’s episode we’ll look at the impact of organized criminal groups from the Western Balkans on the Netherlands, and their involvement in the illicit drugs trade. Presenter: Thin Lei Win Speakers: Ingrid Gercama, Investigative Journalist writing about the environment, politics, and conflict, mostly from the Balkans and Africa. Links: Article - Western Balkan criminal groups are important players in the Netherlands. SEE-Obs - Risk Bulletin #18 Paper - Transnational Tentacles: Global Hotspots of Balkan Organized Crime Paper - The cocaine pipeline to Europe OC Index Country profiles: Netherlands country profile Albania country profile Montenegro country profile Serbia country profile Bosnia & Herzegovina country profile North Macedonia country profile The Global Organized Crime Index GITOC - South-Eastern Europe Observatory (SEE-Obs) Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

    17 phút
  4. 27 THG 5

    South Africa, the taxi industry, and assassinations

    The largely unregulated taxi industry in South Africa has long been associated with violence., as taxi associations clash with one another over control of lucrative routes. Taxi-related violence ranges from shoot-out at taxi ranks to targeted hits on influential players in the industry, often sparking retaliatory killings, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of taxi operators and innocent bystanders. According to the Global Organized Crime Index, mafia-style groups such as those operating in the taxi industry, are a prevalent criminal actor in South Africa - with a score of 7.5 out of 10, placing the country 5th out of 54 on the African continent. South Africa also sits 6th in the world for extortion and protection racketeering, and the mafia-like taxi associations are major contributors to that, as they extort their drivers and attack rival modes of transport. Overall, South Africa’s criminality score is very high at 7.18 out of 10, placing it 7th out of 193 countries. Presenter: Thin Lei Win Speakers: Rumbidzai Matamba, Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime Links: The business of killing: Assassinations in South Africa The Shadow Economy: Uncovering Cape Town's Extortion Networks The politics of murder: Criminal governance and targeted killings in South Africa OC Index Country profiles: South Africa country profile The Global Organized Crime Index GITOC - The Observatory of Illicit Economies in East and Southern Africa (ESA-Obs) Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

    14 phút

Giới Thiệu

The Index is a podcast based around the Global Organized Crime Index, an online tool that ranks levels of criminality and resilience in 193 countries. From drug trafficking and mafia-style crimes to criminal justice and security – In this series we’ll take a deep dive into the Global Organized Crime Index with leading experts and look at some of the biggest organized crime threats facing countries and regions around the world. The Index was nominated for 'Best Video Podcast' at the 2024 Publishers Podcast Awards. Disclaimer: This series was funded in part by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

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