Interpol disclosed on Wednesday (Mar 27) the concerning proliferation of organized crime syndicates, which have expanded into a worldwide network, generating an estimated $3 trillion annually, primarily through activities such as human trafficking and cyber scams.
According to Interpol Secretary-General Jurgen Stock, these criminal organizations, leveraging the cloak of online anonymity and driven by innovative business models, have escalated their operations to unprecedented levels, with the COVID-19 pandemic serving as a further catalyst. Originating as a regional threat in Southeast Asia, the abhorrent crime of human trafficking has morphed into a global crisis, ensnaring millions of victims across cyber scam centers and beyond.
Stock highlighted that these cyber scam hubs often exploit coerced individuals enticed by the prospect of legitimate employment. Such centers have facilitated criminal syndicates in diversifying their revenue streams away from traditional drug trafficking, although narcotics trade still constitutes a significant portion of their earnings, ranging from 40% to 70%.
“We observe groups actively broadening their criminal enterprises, utilizing drug trafficking routes for other illicit activities such as human trafficking, arms trafficking, intellectual property infringement, stolen goods, and car theft,” Stock stated. He revealed that illicit proceeds totaling $2 trillion to $3 trillion annually traverse the global financial system, with individual criminal groups reaping profits of up to $50 billion per year.
Last year, the United Nations reported over 100,000 individuals trafficked into online scam centers in Cambodia. In November 2023, Myanmar made headlines by extraditing thousands of Chinese telecom fraud suspects to China.
Stock lauded Singapore for its effective crackdown on money laundering, citing a notable case from last year in which authorities seized assets valued at over S$3 billion ($2.23 billion).
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