Transnational Crime

Transnational crimes are illicit/illegal activities that are planned, executed, or have ramifications across multiple national borders.

Examples of Transnational Crime:

Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Illegal Gambling, Smuggling, Tax Evasion, Corruption, Arms Trafficking, Money Laundering, Illegal Wildlife Trade, Theft, Cybercrime, Counterfeiting, and more.

Transnational vs. International Crime:

Although these terms have often been used interchangeably, there are some differences between them. Transnational crime encompasses criminal activities that cross national borders at any stage of their process (i.e., smuggling, trafficking, cybercrime). International crime amounts to serious violations of international norms, treaties, and laws that affect the wider international community (i.e., genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity).

76% of the most threatening criminal networks are active in 2 to 7 countries, highlighting their cross-border reach.

68% of criminal networks span multiple nationalities, with ties to 112 nationalities overall.

Resources to Explore:

• https://www.un.org/en/peace-and-security/transnational-crime

• https://www.amu.apus.edu/area-of-study/criminal-justice/resources/what-is-transnational-crime/

• https://gfintegrity.org/report/transnational-crime-and-the-developing-world/

• https://www.unodc.org/toc/en/crimes/organized-crime.html

• https://www.sipri.org/commentary/topical-backgrounder/2022/transnational-organized-crime-threat-global-public-goods