Criminal Network

A criminal network is a group of individuals who are connected by a common purpose or goal, and who engage in criminal activities together. Criminal networks can be organized in many different ways, and they can operate at local, national, or international levels.

Here are some examples of criminal networks:

A gang of street criminals who engage in activities such as robbery, drug dealing, and extortion.

A network of international smugglers who transport drugs, weapons, or other contraband across national borders.

A group of hackers who operate online to steal sensitive information or to disrupt computer systems.

A network of individuals who engage in human trafficking, exploiting victims for labor or sexual exploitation.

A group of corrupt officials who use their positions of power to engage in activities such as bribery, extortion, and money laundering.

Overall, criminal networks are groups of individuals who work together to engage in criminal activities. They can be organized in many different ways, and they can operate at different levels, from local to international.

“The concept of place of safety under international law and the respect of the rights of migrants and refugees rescued at sea by all States”
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“The concept of place of safety under international law and the respect of the rights of migrants and refugees rescued at sea by all States”

PRESS RELEASE Vienna, 18 May 2022 Migrants and refugees take to the seas in search of dignity and safety, refuge, or otherwise across all regions worldwide. The drivers of this mobility are complex and without safe and legal alternatives people are increasingly compelled to turn to smugglers and traffickers who facilitate this irregular migration across…

UNODC Unites Continents to Combat Migrant Smuggling
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UNODC Unites Continents to Combat Migrant Smuggling

Dubai, 1 April 2022. Every year, criminal networks smuggle thousands of migrants using long and dangerous transcontinental routes. Migrants from South Asia are smuggled into Gulf and West African countries, which are often used as “transit hubs”, before reaching South America or the Mediterranean shores. From South America, criminals use various routes through Central America…

Targeted by Traffickers – Ukrainian Refugees at High Risk of Exploitation
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Targeted by Traffickers – Ukrainian Refugees at High Risk of Exploitation

Vienna (Austria), 24 March 2022 — One month into the war in Ukraine, millions of people, mainly women and children, continue to flee their homes. As long as the conflict continues, the risk of them being targeted by criminal networks grows. The United Nations Office on Drugs on Crime (UNODC), the leading entity within the…

Securing Evidence: The Key to Convictions in Human Trafficking
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Securing Evidence: The Key to Convictions in Human Trafficking

Belgrade, (Serbia) 18 – 20 January 2022 – Human trafficking is a global and widespread crime, but despite its prevalence research shows persistent low levels of prosecutions and convictions of traffickers. Data from the latest Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, produced by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), showed that in 2018…

International Migrants Day
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International Migrants Day

Vienna (Austria) 18 December 2021 – As the world marks International Migrants Day, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) urges countries to uphold human rights while combatting the criminal networks who smuggle migrants for profit. Further calls are for better access to pathways for regular migration, an adherence to obligations that are…

Nigeria Takes Steps to Stop Migrant Smuggling
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Nigeria Takes Steps to Stop Migrant Smuggling

Abuja (Nigeria) 16 December 2021 – The smuggling of migrants is a big business in Nigeria with criminal networks charging large sums of money to move people in and out of the West African country or facilitate their transit. In recognition of the  magnitude of this crime, its impact on the security of the country…

Countries Unite to Tackle Smuggling of Migrants in South Eastern Europe
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Countries Unite to Tackle Smuggling of Migrants in South Eastern Europe

Skopje, (North Macedonia) 9-10 December 2021 – Crimes that cross borders can only be stopped through cross border cooperation. This was the main message of the Regional Expert Group Meeting on countering migrant smuggling in Skopje, North Macedonia. The event, which was organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the…

Main Drivers of Human Trafficking in Brazil
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Main Drivers of Human Trafficking in Brazil

Brasília (Brazil) 16 September 2021 A new UNODC report on human trafficking trends in Brazil highlights how socio-economic vulnerability and the lack of decent employment opportunities are leading people into the hands of criminal networks who exploit them for profit. The publication, “National Report on Trafficking in Persons 2017-2020”, brings together knowledge and expertise from…