International Organized Crime Research Articles

“In Search of Special Sensations”: Moïse (Maurice) Zekri's Disorderly Life between Algeria and France (1879–1942)

Abstract This article presents the biography of a little-known Algerian Jew, Moïse (Maurice) Zekri (1879–1942), whose life illuminates several themes not normally associated with Algerian Jewry or French colonial history. An immigrant to Paris who opened one of the city's first gay venues, Maurice's Bar, in 1906, he also contributed to the rise of international organized crime in Montmartre, a development more commonly attributed to Corsicans. While based in Paris, Zekri traveled widely (to England, Belgium, Italy, Argentina, and the United States) and maintained close ties with Algeria, where he returned periodically. His social and professional circles included a diverse cohort of people ethnically and religiously, but his Jewish roots defined the end of his life. During the German Occupation of France, he was deported from his Paris home to Drancy, and in 1942, he was murdered in Auschwitz.

INTERPOL 100 ‘Connecting Police For a Safer World’

Aim: The aim of this paper is to outline the century-long, instructive history of international police cooperation.Methodology: The authors of the paper analyse and organise the pre-WWII Hungarian and contemporary English literature, as well as the data published on the INTERPOL website to mark the anniversary.Findings: The predecessor organisation was set up in 1923 with the idea that police forces in different countries should work together to detect crime and curb cross-border crime through arrest and extradition procedures, identification techniques and criminal records. Many of the objectives and tools of that time are still the basis for joint work today. As security challenges and international organized crime activities and technological responses to them evolved, INTERPOL grew into the effective international organisation that now supports and coordinates the work of law enforcement agencies in 195 countries.Value: This milestone anniversary of INTERPOL provides an opportunity to look back over the last century of international police cooperation. The study takes a fresh look at the subject. It briefly presents the contemporary Hungarian reception of the initial steps in organisational and technical development, INTERPOL’s own assessment of the past 100 years, and the analyses of certain periods published by foreign experts on the subject.

The Possible Response of Science to the Global Threat

Aim: The aim of the study is to present the innovations in INTERPOL’s activities and practices and the need for them.Methodology: The author analyses and systematises the literature in Hungarian and English, as well as the articles and data published on the INTERPOL website on the occasion of the anniversary.Findings: The security challenges and the fight against international organized crime require innovation in the work of law enforcement agencies, and the use and application of the results of technological progress.Value: The study examines possible responses to global challenges from a research and development-innovation perspective, in particular in relation to INTERPOL’s activities and possible practices at home.

The Possible Response of Science to the Global Threat

Aim: The aim of the study is to present the innovations in INTERPOL’s activities and practices and the need for them.Methodology: The author analyses and systematises the literature in Hungarian and English, as well as the articles and data published on the INTERPOL website on the occasion of the anniversary.Findings: The security challenges and the fight against international organized crime require innovation in the work of law enforcement agencies, and the use and application of the results of technological progress.Value: The study examines possible responses to global challenges from a research and development-innovation perspective, in particular in relation to INTERPOL’s activities and possible practices at home.

INTERPOL 100 ‘Connecting Police For a Safer World’

Aim: The aim of this paper is to outline the century-long, instructive history of international police cooperation.Methodology: The authors of the paper analyse and organise the pre-WWII Hungarian and contemporary English literature, as well as the data published on the INTERPOL website to mark the anniversary.Findings: The predecessor organisation was set up in 1923 with the idea that police forces in different countries should work together to detect crime and curb cross-border crime through arrest and extradition procedures, identification techniques and criminal records. Many of the objectives and tools of that time are still the basis for joint work today. As security challenges and international organized crime activities and technological responses to them evolved, INTERPOL grew into the effective international organisation that now supports and coordinates the work of law enforcement agencies in 195 countries.Value: This milestone anniversary of INTERPOL provides an opportunity to look back over the last century of international police cooperation. The study takes a fresh look at the subject. It briefly presents the contemporary Hungarian reception of the initial steps in organisational and technical development, INTERPOL’s own assessment of the past 100 years, and the analyses of certain periods published by foreign experts on the subject.

Designing interagency responses to wicked problems: A viable system model board game

Government agencies struggle to address wicked problems because they are open-ended, highly interdependent issues that cross agency, stakeholder, jurisdictional, and geopolitical boundaries. While both quantitative modelling and qualitative problem structuring methodologies have been used to support interagency decision making in the past, co-designing an effective interagency organization to collaboratively tackle wicked problems is more challenging. Few approaches have been developed to enable such efforts. This paper explains how the viable system model (VSM) was implemented through a board game, which was employed to co-design an interagency meta-organization that would be capable of more effectively collaborating to jointly address a wicked problem: international organized drug crime and its interface with local gangs in Chicago, USA. The board game was developed to make the VSM easier for the participants to learn, given that the cybernetic language and engineering-influenced diagrams in the original literature can be off-putting to leaders and managers. The board game was used as the final stage of a multi-method, systemic approach, which involved boundary critique and problem structuring as well as deployment of the VSM. The research findings indicate that the VSM board game, used as part of a larger mixed-methods systemic intervention, contributes to building trust in the value of systems thinking amongst the participants, and sets up a rich context for collaboration on multi-agency co-design. The game therefore offers significant promise as part of the co-design of interagency responses to wicked problems because it creates an embodied process for stakeholders to learn about the VSM. It also reduces the work involved in this learning. Thus, the game enables an effective appropriation of the VSM language and criteria.

Organized Crime and the Objectives of the Islamic Penal System

This article aims to analyze the application of the International Organized Crime Convention (UNTOC) to counter the global threat posed by organized crime. Organized crime is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that poses a serious threat to international peace and security, generating an estimated $870 billion annually. The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of the UNTOC in preventing and combating transnational organized crime, highlight the complexities in the UNTOC employment process, and explore the UNTOC's role in national and international efforts to combat organized crime. To assess and investigate the impact of the challenge posed by the UNTOC by new forms of transnational organized crime. The research questions are designed to examine UNTOC's specifications, its impact on national and international efforts to combat organized crime, implementation challenges, and the types of organized crime it seeks to deter and combat. The significance of this article is that it may provide legislators, law enforcement and other stakeholders with insights into combating organized crime and recommend ways to improve the effectiveness of the UNTOC.

Comparative-legal analysis of the structure of external functions of Ukraine and Hungary: implementation of experience (part 2)

Now a new military battle has begun for Ukraine and Ukrainians, and each component of the function is own separate front of confrontation today. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is considered as a PR manager of the international level of a specific state. Based on the experience of Hungary and the legislative tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, which are quite extensive with a wide range of tasks, it is proposed to systematize its competences into six logical groups. The first is to promote the interests of Ukraine and support security and territorial integrity. The second is investments and information space. The third is maintaining ties with legal and physical Ukrainians. The fourth is image formation. The fifth is the EU and NATO. And considering the foreign policy strategy, as a sixth separate group we can highlight the expansion of relations with Africa and Asia, because this is not only a new breath for the renewal of relations, but also a new stage of investment and trade, which is mutually beneficial for both sides. The structure of external functions is the same for most states, the main differences between them are contained in the approaches to their implementation. For Ukraine, which until February 24 was on the verge of a full-scale military invasion and conducted its activities in an almost basic mode, today must not only review its stereotypical tasks, but must create them in a new way. The group's data are priorities for the coming years, and each of these realized directions will help not only in rebuilding the destroyed, but also in creating a new one, otherwise, we can predict that Ukraine will be thrown back decades. Under each of the proposed systematic groups, a specific component of the external function is considered, as a way of realizing the function itself and the goal of the selected group. In this part of the scientific article, we consider issues within the framework of the following components of external functions: establishing international cultural ties (humanitarian), countering international terrorism and international organized crime, nature protection or Ecological (participation in international environmental protection) function.

The private sector against human trafficking in tourism

ABSTRACT Tourism, travel and hospitality report a high prevalence of human trafficking, predominantly for sexual exploitation. With human trafficking recognized as a form of international organized crime and a serious human rights violation, states are bound to address it comprehensively. In parallel, the private sector in tourism, travel and hospitality has demonstrated engagement in the fight against human trafficking through a wide range of initiatives and ethical commitments that have been adopted locally, regionally and internationally. The current debate on the need for a business and human rights legally binding instrument serves as a backdrop for this concept paper to argue that the existing regulatory anti-trafficking framework is adequate to effectively address human trafficking in tourism.

КОНСТИТУЦІЙНО-ПРАВОВІ АСПЕКТИ ЗОВНІШНІХ ФУНКЦІЇЙ УКРАЇНИ ТА УГОРЩИНИ ПІД ТЕОРЕТИКО-ПРАВОВОЮ ПРИЗМОЮ

The modern globalized world needs the creation of a new type of international relations. The state cannot exist by itself, for its successful development it is necessary to actively cooperate with the international community. These are permanent good-neighborly relations, cooperation with leading democratic countries, and participation and active activity in universal and regional international organizations. This is required from the state, the medium type, and the existence of external threats, such as armed aggression, information wars, economic blockades by other states. The latest type of international relations, considering such factors as globalization, the transformation of modern society from post- industrial to information society, brings significant changes to the interaction of various types of external state activity. In the theory of the state and law, the functions of the state are classified according to the following criteria: according to the quintessence and tasks, according to the direction of the functions, according to the methods and means of their implementation, according to the spheres of state activity, according to the social weight of the functions, according to their time frames, etc. Recognizing that each of these scientific classifications has the right to exist, we support the opinion of those scientists who refer to such a classification the division of state functions by spheres of activity of the latter into internal and external functions of the state. Take for example the defense function of the state, which directly depends on its integration into the collective security system. Functions of the state are formalized tasks of activity for a specific period, of a specific state in the sphere of regulation of social relations, in particular, of an external nature, using methods not prohibited by national and international law in order to achieve the most advantageous positions of influence. The following sub-functions of the syncretic external function of the modern state are distinguished: foreign policy (diplomatic); defense of the state against external military aggression; foreign economic; establishment of international humanitarian relations; environmental or ecological (participation in international environmental protection); countering international terrorism and international organized crime. Within the scope of this article, we consider Ukrainian foreign policy (diplomatic), foreign economic and establishment of international humanitarian ties.

ADDRESSING HUMAN TRAFFICKING SCOURGE THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY EDUCATION PROGRAMME

Purpose: Human trafficking is a fast growing international organized crime which is draining Nigeria of its vibrant and talented youths and the nation’s future leaders. In spite of the various strategies of stemming the menace, the business still persists due to the fact that the people living in the red-spot areas are not involved in the efforts towards tackling the menace. Hence, the adoption of community-based participatory education programmes involving the study’s residents’ full participation to address the menace.
 Methodology: The study adopted a quantitative and qualitative approach involving Focus Group Discussion (FGD) using one hundred and sixty participants selected through cluster sampling technique in two locations of Shaki and Ago-Amodu of Oyo State, Nigeria. Two research questions and one hypothesis were employed and analysed through the use of Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) statistical test.
 Findings: Among other findings, this study identified poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, lack of stiffer policy by the government as factors encouraging human trafficking menace. However, it is recommended that the government should pass and implement stiffer policy such as life imprisonment for offenders and organization of regular educational training that would involve the people living in the communities notable for the act to broaden their knowledge towards the evils of human trafficking. Also the youths should form strong vanguard towards monitoring the activities of the traffickers and embark on public awareness programme to eradicate the menace in their communities.

International legal standards of organization and functioning of the prosecutor's office

The article considers the basic international legal standards of organization and functioning of the prosecutor’s office. It was determined that the prosecutor’s office, outside of criminal proceedings, began to play the role of ancillary appointments, while public authorities and local governments were given the right to go to court independently. It is noted that Ukraine is a party to the Statute and a member of the Council of Europe, and therefore has undertaken to recognize the principles of the rule of law and the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms (Article 3 of the Statute), is able and willing to fulfill such obligations 4 of the Statute). It is pointed out that the modernization of the constitutional and legal status of the prosecutor’s office is taking place in connection with the existence of a number of obligations of the Ukrainian state to the Council of Europe. Attention is drawn to the key acts of the international level, which relate to the organization and functioning of the prosecutor’s office, identified their main provisions in the context of the analysis. The expediency of optimal division of competence between the prosecutor (as an administrative agent of the executive or legislative power) and the judiciary is supported. It is pointed out that Europe is developing more and more, citizens are mobile, as a result of which different legal systems are inevitably affected, and therefore it is strategically important to achieve harmonization of criminal justice systems of Council of Europe members. Such harmonization is useful given the feasibility of maintaining the effectiveness of criminal justice systems in the light of the challenges of international organized crime. It is established that the reform of the constitutional and legal status of the prosecutor’s office in Ukraine in accordance with the commitments made to the Council of Europe should begin with a gradual solution of a set of issues of compliance of the Ukrainian prosecutor’s office with international standards. It is emphasized that in the Ukrainian state the prosecutor’s office occupies an important place in the system of public authorities, as its activities absorb two ambivalent components that implicitly complement each other - ensuring law and order.

Designing interagency responses to wicked problems: Creating a common, cross-agency understanding

Wicked problems are open-ended, highly interdependent issues that cross agency, stakeholder, jurisdictional, and geopolitical boundaries. In response, there has been advocacy for interagency working. However, this confounds conventional approaches to government because policies and budgets tend to be aligned within organizational boundaries and not across them, making it difficult to bring the appropriate talent, knowledge and assets into an interagency approach to tackle the interdependencies of whatever wicked problem is at hand. In addition, the purposes, perspectives and values of the various government agencies and other stakeholders can often be in conflict. This paper reports on research to develop and evaluate a systemic intervention approach involving the use of multiple methods underpinned by boundary critique to address a wicked problem. The major focus is how to create a common understanding of a wicked problem among multiple agencies using a participatory problem structuring method called ‘systemic perspective mapping’. The wicked problem we tackled was international organized drug crime and its intersection with local urban gang activity (using Chicago, USA, as a representative city). Perspectives on the problem were structured with participation from various local, regional and federal agencies involved in countering illegal drug trafficking. Our research found that the combined use of boundary critique and systemic perspective mapping was able to generate enough of a common understanding to provide a foundation for the design of an interagency organization using the viable system model (the latter is reported elsewhere in the literature).

Anti – Corruption Measures Related to Migration Pressure

Abstract The report analyzes corruption practices and the manifestation of international organized crime in the sphere of illegal migration. Emphasis is placed on the criminal components “human trafficking” and “channeling” included in the Criminal Code of the Republic of Bulgaria. The current legislation of the Republic of Bulgaria regarding the prevention and counteraction of human trafficking is also examined.

Unholy Alliances and their Threat: The Convergence of Terrorism, Organized Crime and Corruption

AbstractSince the tragedy of September 11, 2001 (9/11) there have been a growing awareness and recognition of the expanding threat presented by the transmutation and convergence of international organized crime and terrorist groups. There is a semantic debate on whether these organizations are “converging” or “transforming.” Regardless, this worrisome development is complicated and progressively difficult to combat and calls for law enforcement, intelligence and military interventions. While the United States and other countries have been dealing with the post-9/11 world of persistent problems like Iraq, Afghanistan, al Qaeda, “Islamic State in Iraq and Syria” (ISIS), Syria, and more, the links between organized crime and terrorism could prolong these challenges and generate further disruptions and menace to global security and development. There are strong operational needs and requirements that bring organized crime and terrorists together for collaboration and even seamless transitions within the same general operation. However, there are substantial hurdles that make a total teamwork between the two groups not so easily achievable. For example, organized crime normally avoids the publicity and the indiscriminate killings often used by terrorists. However, it is clear that the merging of international organized crime and terrorist groups is growing and presents unique challenges and opportunities. This paper examines this ongoing transmutation, convergence and cooperation between transnational organized crime and terrorism, and offers examples and recommendations on how to prevent it and defeat it.

TRANSNATIONAL CRIME AS A THREAT TO THE WORLD COMMUNITY

Transnational crime, unlimited by any barriers of a national or legal level, is currently acquiring the status of a supranational criminal phenomenon. Even though transnational crime harms the development of various countries, the number of which is continuously increasing, there is no clear and effective strategy to counter this type of crime. Transnational crime not only develops together with the world society but also accumulates the latest achievements of a technical and economic, political and other nature for its criminal purposes, which bring this type of crime to a new level. This level is often higher than the capabilities of law enforcement agencies of either a particular country or law enforcement syndicates in several countries. The study of transnational crime is given serious attention in the works of domestic and foreign authors; however, they lack a comprehensive approach that will help to generalize the most significant proposals and conclusions. Thus, it is necessary to study the best practices of various countries that successfully counter international organized crime. This article explores not only the theoretical aspects of transnational crime, reflecting its main features, but also analyzes the reasons for its continual development from the current state of the world community, and also updates the most effective countermeasures. At the same time, the article addresses the problematic aspects of the fight against transnational crime. The goal is achieved by solving the following tasks: - Explore the main approaches to the study of transnational crime both in Russia and abroad; - Identify the most common types of transnational crime that have a negative impact on a significant number of states; - Study the development trends of transnational crime; - Propose several measures aimed at countering transnational crime both in Russia and abroad. The results of the study can be used in developing practical measures to counter transnational crime, in research activities to stimulate discussion on the most problematic issues of transnational crime, in teaching activities in the preparation of lecture and practical material on the subject “Criminology”.

Twenty-three arrests and around 10,000 cultural items seized

On 18 November 2019, an international police operation involving over 350 police officers, supported by Europol (within the framework of EMPACT) and Eurojust, dismantled an international organized crime group involved in large-scale trafficking of looted archaeological items resulting in the arrest of 23 individuals, 80 house searches, and the seizure of around 10,000 cultural items, including hundreds of figurative terracottas.

IMPROVING THE PROCESSES FOR PROVIDING CUSTOMS AND LOGISTICS SERVICES IN UKRAINE

The paper offers insights into the specifics of customs regulation in the area of logistic supply networks in Ukraine. The Ukrainian customs regulation framework should provide favourable environment for the adaptation of the national economy to a more intense international competition driven by joining the system of global regulation and free movement of resources and gradual integration of its economy into global and European economic processes. The purpose of this study is to suggest pathways to enhance customs regulations in logistics supply networks in Ukraine. It is argued that the implementation of the logistic approach to the customs regulation of foreign economic activity envisaged by the Customs Code of Ukraine is possible only within relevant legislative and regulatory framework. Customs authorities must cooperate (in a number of ways) with their business partners to identify the common benefits that can be gained through joint participation in a safe supply chain of goods. Customs authorities must also record the entire set of benefits they intend to provide (within their mandate) to their business partners in a safe supply chain of goods. The application of logistics guidelines in company foreign economic activities contributes to providing material, financial and information support for the supply of goods along with cost optimization and efficiency increase for foreign trade operations. The above objectives are directly related to forecasting, risk assessment in the area of foreign economic activity, supplies and stocks optimization, information and financial support issues, customs clearance and control procedures, etc. Apparently, the implementation of customs regulations in the global logistics supply networks is affected by the degree of countries integration. There are three options for customs regulation within the global supply networks: in the absence of economic integration; in a free trade zone settings; within a common customs space. It is emphasized that the creation of a free trade zone and a common customs union simplify customs procedures dramatically. The growing trade volume, the increasing international terrorism and international organized crime hazards challenge effective national and international interaction between public authorities and businesses. This can be achieved through establishing free trade zones and customs unions which will ultimately contribute to reducing logistics risks by joint efforts of nations.

Законодавство Росії та України у сфері розвідувальної діяльності: порівняльно-правовий аспект

Метою дослідження є розкриття особливостей законодавчого регулювання правових засад організації та діяльності органів зовнішньої розвідки України на основі порівняльного аналізу із законодавчим забезпеченням функціонування розвідувальних органів Російської Федерації.
 Наукова новизна полягає у тому, що вперше на основі юридичної компаративістики проаналізовано правове регулювання організації та діяльності органів зовнішньої розвідки України та РФ. Досліджено чинники, що спонукали законодавців зазначених країн прийняти законодавчі акти у сфері розвідувальної діяльності. Показано відмінності у правових приписах стосовно діяльності розвідок двох держав за цілями, завданнями, сферами застосування методів, сил і засобів. Визначено, які положення законодавства РФ про зовнішню розвідку можна врахувати для удосконалення вітчизняного законодавства.
 Висновки. За результатами дослідження виділено основні позитивні моменти у національному законодавстві, а саме:
 наявність двох фундаментальних законодавчих актів, що регулюють діяльність розвідувальних органів. Це Закони України «Про розвідувальні органи України» та «Про Службу зовнішньої розвідки України». Російський законодавець обмежився прийняттям лише одного Закону «Про зовнішню розвідку», фактично залишивши без правового регулювання за багатьма аспектами діяльність окремого незалежного розвідувального органу, яким є СЗР РФ;
 визначення правовими приписами основних категорій розвідувальної діяльності (розвідувальна діяльність, розвідувальна інформація, розвідувальні органи, спеціальна розвідка), чого немає у російському законодавстві;
 визначення для розвідувальних органів широкого кола завдань, у тому числі з правоохоронною спрямованістю. Натомість у Законі РФ «Про зовнішню розвідку» немає завдань щодо участі розвідки у боротьбі з тероризмом, міжнародною організованою злочинністю, незаконним обігом наркотиків, незаконним обігом зброї та технології її виробництва, нелегальною міграцією тощо;
 надання права на використання методів і засобів оперативно-розшукової діяльності для отримання розвідувальної інформації. Відповідно до російського законодавства оперативно-розшукові заходи здійснюються виключно для забезпечення власної безпеки.
 До основних позитивних моментів російського законодавства можна віднести:
 надання зовнішній розвідці при власному ліцензуванні і сертифікації права на придбання, розроблення (за виключенням криптографічних засобів захисту), створення, експлуатацію інформаційних систем, систем зв’язку та систем передачі даних, а також засобів захисту інформації від витоку по технічних каналах;
 визначення правовим приписом положення про те, що співробітники розвідки не можуть мати подвійного громадянства (підданства) і підлягають обов’язковій державній дактилоскопічній реєстрації;
 наявність правового положення про те, що особа, яка надає конфіденційну допомогу органу зовнішньої розвідки РФ і не є громадянином РФ, може бути прийнята, за її бажанням та клопотанням, до громадянства РФ у порядку, який визначений федеральними законами.
 У законодавстві обох держав, окрім позитивних моментів, також є й спірні законодавчі положення, виявлення і дослідження яких, а також удосконалення у подальшій законотворчій діяльності значно покращить функціонування всієї розвідувальної спільноти в Україні.

Particular Aspects of Infiltration into International Organized Crime Groups

The article deals with the practical issues of the infiltration of secret and full-time case officers and persons involved in confidential cooperation, into an organized criminal group and a terrorist organization. Key words: organized criminal group, case officer, the infiltration into a criminal group, cover story, operational investigative activity, intelligence activity.