Global Initiative

The thalassopolitics of international drug trafficking

The thalassopolitics of international drug trafficking

...What if drug traffickers had already taken control of Europe’s major seaports? This alarming prospect is not just the stuff of crime fiction. The 116 tonnes of cocaine seized in 2023 at the Belgi...

Posted on 23 Apr 2025

Author(s): Florian Manet

Global Initiative

Joint US–India focus on cyber scams is a chance to curb a global fraud epidemic

...Since President Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office, leaders from across the world have visited the new president. In February, it was the turn of Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister. In th...

Posted on 21 Apr 2025

Author(s): Jack Meegan-Vickers, Kristina Amerhauser

EAS-Obs

Illicit trade between Ukraine’s Transcarpathia and the EU

Smuggling, Inc.

...Transcarpathia, Ukraine’s westernmost region, has long been a hub for cross-border smuggling, facilitated by deep-rooted corruption and its proximity to four EU countries. This report explores how t...

Posted on 15 Apr 2025

EAS-Obs, EUR-Obs

Lawless cyberspace: Why Eastern Europe leads global cybercrime

Lawless cyberspace

...Cybercrime is a growing global threat, causing trillions of dollars in economic damage annually. This report explores how Eastern Europe and Russia have become a significant hub for cybercriminal acti...

Posted on 07 Apr 2025

Author(s): Luke Rodeheffer

HT-Obs

Violence and Resilience in Haiti: Risk Bulletin #3

Observatory of Violence and Resilience in Haiti

...Risk Bulletin Download PDF Click here to view the Global Organized Crime Index fr Français Observatory of Violence and Resilience in Haiti Issue 3 April 2025 Summary highlights The Multinational Secu...

Posted on 02 Apr 2025

UN - Security and Rights

Looking into the future: Transnational organized crime and UN Peace Operations

...At a moment when long-held global alliances for peace and security are being tested, the United Nations is undergoing a wholesale review of its peace operations. In 2025, it is undertaking both a peac...

Posted on 02 Apr 2025

Author(s): Summer Walker

Sanctions and organized crime, APA-Obs

Where does North Korea get its cash?

...On 12 February 2025, North Korea reopened to visitors, five years after closing its borders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite political isolation, few trading partners, crippling food insecurity, ...

Posted on 31 Mar 2025

Author(s): Lindsey Kennedy, Nathan Paul Southern

EAS-Obs

Collateral damage: Assessing substance use in Ukraine’s military

Collateral damage:

...Substance use among Ukrainian soldiers is driven by a complex mix of factors: physical pain, psychological trauma, pre-existing dependency, and the extreme demands of combat. While cannabis and legal ...

Posted on 28 Mar 2025