Types Of Illegal Activities Research Articles

Digital forensics in the context of digitalisation of modern society

The author substantiates the relevance of digital forensics in the context of digitalisation of modern society, notes the active use of digital technologies in solving various types of illegal activities in the field of computer information, and defines the concepts of “digital trace” and “digital forensics”. The author emphasises the need to develop new knowledge and developments in forensic techniques, standards and principles for evaluating and verifying collected evidence (digital traces), to carry out mandatory standardisation when working with digital information, and to consider and develop appropriate methodology for training specialists in the field of digital forensics. Attention is focused on ethical, legal and privacy issues related to the collection and use of digital data during an investigation, confidentiality and protection of personal information of persons not involved in a criminal offence, compliance of the collection and use of digital data during an investigation with certain legal norms and standards (obtaining court orders for evidence collection, requirements for information storage, observance of the rights and freedoms of persons under investigation), ensuring an appropriate level of protection, storage and transmission of personal information and restricting access to it only on certain grounds. The role of forensics in improving and increasing the effectiveness of the fight against modern crime, including war and cybercrime, through the active use of digital technologies is emphasised.

Blockchain’s double-edged sword: thematic review of illegal activities using blockchain

PurposeThe purpose of this research paper is to review and synthesize the role of blockchain technology (BCT) in various types of illegal activities, including but not limited to fraud, money laundering, ransomware attacks, firearms, drug tracking, cyberattacks, identity theft and scams.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a review of studies related to illegal activities using blockchain from 2015 to 2023. Next, a thematic review of the literature was performed to see how these illegal activities were conducted using BCT.FindingsThrough this study, the authors identify the relevant themes that highlight the major illegal activities performed using BCT, its possible steps for prevention and the opportunities for future developments. Finally, the authors provide suggestions for future research using the theory, context and method framework.Originality/valueNo other research has synthesized the illegal activities using BCT through a thematic approach to the best of the authors’ knowledge. Hence, this study will act as a starting point for future research for academic and technical practitioners in this area.

General provisions of criminal and legal counteraction to the financing of terrorism

Terrorism as the most dangerous social phenomenon covers a significant range of spheres of public life and is a priority issue on the agenda of the international political space, and therefore an important component of public administration. The effectiveness of countering terrorism determines the place of the state in the international arena, the trust in it on the part of international partners, international investors and internal stakeholders themselves. A distinctive feature of terrorism as a process and type of illegal activity is the need for significant financial resources for the existence of terrorist organizations and the implementation of terrorist acts. Countering the financing of terrorism as a source of its resource support ‑ is the basis for protecting the national interests and security of not only an individual state, but also society globally. Taking into account the threat to national security, the issue of the theory, organization and methodology of criminal law counteraction to the financing of terrorism is significantly updated in war conditions. Due to the lack of comprehensive studies of this issue, there is a need to substantiate the theoretical, methodological and organizational provisions of public administration in the study area.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE API/PNR SYSTEM IN THE SPHERE OF COUNTERING TERRORIST ACTIVITY

This article is devoted to the future deployment and functioning of the advance passenger information (API) and passenger registration records (PNR) system in Ukraine. In addition, the draft law of Ukraine «On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine regarding the improvement of combating terrorism» has been analyzed and arguments as to why this particular draft law needs to be revised have been grounded. It has been suggested that in today’s conditions, the system of measures of anti-terrorist activity, in connection with Ukraine’s choice towards the European community and direct European integration, should correspond to the level of terrorist threat that exists in the state, which is primarily related to the development of war declared by the russian federation. The urgency of improving the anti-terrorist legislation, and the expediency of determining the entities and units that will work directly with this system have been grounded in the article. In addition, the concept of «interviewing» has been described. Also, it has been emphasized that in order to use it more effectively, there is a need to use the technique of «profiling» by border guards while performing their official duties for the protection of the state border of Ukraine. It has been noted that the above-mentioned event is widely used abroad and has already proven to be highly effective. Therefore, one of the main tasks of combating terrorist activities on the state border of Ukraine is comprehensive capabilities strengthening of the national system of combating terrorism. The need to comprehensively strengthen the capabilities of the system of combating terrorism requires legislative, organizational, and other changes. In particular, the list of counterterrorist activities needs to be revised, as well as the need to implement the possibility of using warning mechanisms to identify terrorist threats. One of these mechanisms is the implementation and functioning of the API/PNR system in Ukraine, which will allow early identification of persons (airline passengers) who may be members of terrorist organizations or be involved in other types of illegal activities at the state border of Ukraine. In the conditions of war, the introduction of this system is not possible, however, attention should be paid to the issue of preparation for such introduction, including the development and adoption of relevant normative legal acts, even more so in accordance with the obligations that our state has assumed.

Child labour and education in Ecuador during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Child labour is a worldwide issue with a major impact on access to education, Latin America being one of the regions heavily affected by this type of illegal activity, the data were not very encouraging and with the COVID19 pandemic the situation worsened. This study uses data, of 117,189 girls and boys between the ages of 5 and 14, obtained from National Survey of Employment, Unemployment and Underemployment (ENEMDU), with the aim to analyse education and child labour situation in Ecuador through pandemic in 2020, a complete descriptive analysis was developed in order to display the main differentiation criteria and the classification into groups of the people investigated, the results are confirmed by factor analysis.

PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION IN PUBLIC AUTHORITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF ECONOMIC SECURITY

The article provides an analysis of the current state of legal regulation of state administration regarding the prevention of corruption in state authorities in the context of economic security under martial law. Thus, one of the most important tasks of state administration in preventing corruption in public authorities is that the state must provide “legal security” to all its citizens, and this may require the introduction of temporary restrictions on the actions of certain normative legal acts regulating the issue of preventing corruption. The introduction of martial law and the relaxation of anti-corruption legislation can also lead to an increase in the risk of corruption, as such a situation is often accompanied by aggravation of the socio-economic situation and an increase in the susceptibility of citizens to various types of illegal activities. Therefore, it is important to ensure effective control over the activities of state bodies that ensure security in the conditions of martial law, and to implement preventive measures to prevent corruption in these bodies. Electronic declaration is considered one of the important tools for preventing corruption in the public sector. It is also characterized as an “anti-corruption declaration”, based on the totality of all forms of legal consolidation and organizational support of universally binding rules of conduct in the totality of their interrelationships, through which prescriptions are objectified that determine the method of checking the integrity of authorized persons through the performance of duty from the declaration The priority of ensuring effective state administration in preventing corruption in order to preserve citizens’ trust in state institutions and maintain social stability is indicated. It is argued that one of the important components of the fight against corruption in Ukraine today is the declaration of the income of officials. The directions of state administration regarding the prevention of corruption in state authorities in the conditions of martial law have been determined.

Forensic indicia of staff fraud and the detection methods

Subject. This article discusses the need to create multi-level models of personnel fraud, their structure and peculiarities of formation in the context of the rapid growth of digital technologies in the processing of economic information. Objectives. The article aims to present an original approach to determining the structure of typical models of personnel fraud, including the main elements of such models and correlations between them. The article also aims to determine the features of digital footprints of illegal activities of personnel and justify the need to use digital technologies to develop such models. Methods. For the study, I used the methods of comparative analysis, systematization, induction, and deduction. Results. The article presents approaches to the formation of multi-level typical models of personnel fraud and provides the main elements of such models and correlations between them. The article gives an example of how it is possible to detect traces of some methods of personnel fraud based on the use of economic information, and describes the main forms of digital trails of illegal activities. Conclusions and Relevance. The formulated methodological approaches can help scientifically develop typical multi-level models of personnel fraud using digital technologies. They can also serve as a basis for scientific discussion and, on this basis, contribute to further scientific research in the field of forensic diagnostics of personnel fraud. The forensic traces of personnel fraud detected by means of diagnostics using standard models will make it possible to effectively identify and disclose this type of illegal activity.

On Strengthening Responsibility for Drug Propaganda on the Internet

The article contains the analyses of the current situation in the field of drug use propaganda carried out using the Internet, and also the study of the amendments adopted by legislators providing for increased responsibility for this type of illegal activity. A content analysis of a specialized segment of the information virtual network, a comparative analysis of the researched problem with the data of 2019, a review of official statistics of law enforcement agencies were carried out. The conclusions about the results of the analysis.

Crime in Era of Digital Technology: What Can Change with Cryptocurrency Status Clarification for Development of Information Environment of Vietnam?

The present paper analyses the aspects of investigations of crime involving cryptocurrencies as a payment instrument. Ever since their emergence, cryptocurrencies have come to be actively used by criminals in all types of illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, money laundering, illegal arms trade, payments for criminal services and many other crimes. The paper aims to establish the methods of crime investigation to track data on cryptocurrency transactions and identify and show up the participants of illegal operations. The author shows that the development of computer and digital information technologies and the Internet has brought about the ever-increasing prevalence of cryptocurrencies in all social domains, including the shadow sector, i. e., the criminal world. Figures are provided illustrating the overall circulation of cryptocurrencies in the world and its illegal segment. Explaining the attractiveness of cryptocurrencies for criminal structures, the author points at its anonymity and inadequate regulation of various aspects in laws. An analysis is provided of the practice of countries where cryptocurrency circulation is not only permitted but regulated to a maximum possible extent. The impact of such regulation for the state of the shadow cryptocurrency market is shown. The research further concerns the potential for bringing international expertise to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Potential methods of crime investigation concerning shadow cryptocurrency transactions are outlined, helping to identify and show up the participants involved. Forecasts are provided as to the development of modern forensics and the emergence of new forensic methods helping to uncover cryptocurrency-related crime; proposals are drawn for amending criminal and criminal procedure laws to facilitate investigations in the new context.

Zaległość podatkowa a korzyść majątkowa na gruncie Kodeksu karnego skarbowego

This paper presents issue of a difference of profit of a tax crime and unpaid tax. As a rule, this problem is overlooked in Polish criminal law and fiscal law doctrine. At present see a process of unification of fiscal criminal law (Fiscal Criminal Code) and “common” criminal law (Criminal Code). It is an effect of convergence of this two types of illegal activity. However it doesn’t mean there are no important differences between these types of crime. One of the biggest differences is profit of crime. In criminal law, it is whole illegally obtained property. In tax crime, this is much more complicated. An unpaid tax, very often, is different than profit of a perpetrator. It should be understood in a case of a forfeiture of benefit of tax crime. So a tax arrears can’t be identified as a profit of a tax crime. Another important difference is a source of a perpetrator’s profit. In area of a tax crime the source of profit is legal, as a rule, business activity, undisclosed to proper authorities or with hidden incomes. On the other hand, typical criminal activity is as a rule illegal and can’t be subject of any tax obligations. As a result, from tax law point of view, a perpetrator who is not tax payer has no possibility to pay depleted tax.

Understanding wildlife crime in China: Socio-demographic profiling and motivation of offenders.

Wildlife crime presents a growing threat to the integrity of ecological communities. While campaigns have raised consumer awareness, little is known about the socio-demographic profile of wildlife offenders, or how to intervene. Using data from China Judgements Online (2014–2018), we documented 4,735 cases, involving 7,244 offenders who smuggled, hunted, transported, sold and/or purchased protected species in contravention of China’s Criminal Law. Offenders were predominantly men (93.0% of 7,143 offenders), aged 30–44 (43.9% of 4,699), agricultural workers (48.4% of 3,960), with less schooling (78.6% of 4,699 < senior secondary school). Socio-economic profiles related to crime seriousness, the type of illegal activity, motivation and taxon involved. These generalizations reveal scope to tailor specific intervention and mitigation approaches to offender profiles, through public information campaigns, proactive incentives opposed by punitive disincentives, and provision of alternative incomes.

Rural to urban migration of disaster induced displaced people in coastal area of Bangladesh: An analysis of risk and opportunity

Displacement is the earlier concept of civilization but climate induced displacement is the contemporary issue as climate victim of modern and industrialized world. The prime aim of the study was to investigate the rural to urban migration of disaster induced displacement in coastal area of Bangladesh addressing to risks and opportunities. The study mainly based on primary data and secondary data was used for validation. Primary data have been obtained through the quantitative along with qualitative sources. Qualitative data were attained through Participant Observation, Key Informant Interview (KII) and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) methods. Quantitative data have been acquired through the field study consisting of a questionnaire survey. Data were interpreted by the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS-20). The study reveals that after displacement nearly 89% displaced people migrated from rural (Kutubdia Island) to Cox’s Bazar urban area. Consequently, meantime their monthly income, occupational status, housing and sanitation condition, source of drinking water and health care facilities were changed positively but in most cases they are dissatisfied. Because they lost their traditional and indigenous occupations system (after migration nearly 30% dissatisfied about their occupation but before migration it was 16%) and their housing pattern and conditions become worsen. Availability of water and sanitation facility and healthcare seeking behavior changed positively in the urban area. However, in urban area they faced multi-dimensional problems such as harassment by mussel man (14%) and local elite group influence (32%), loss of identity and dignity, freedom of speech, social stratification, loss of socio-cultural harmony and fear of eviction as well as involvement of different types of illegal activities, such as drug addiction and smuggling and so on. Finally, the study revealed that there is risk and opportunity for climate displaced people in urban migration. However, planned migration of disaster induced displaced people can reduce the risk factors in the urban setting.

Perceptions and Behaviors of Indigenous Populations Regarding Illegal Use of Protected Area Resources in East Africa's Mountain Gorilla Landscape.

Illegal activities and use of park resources are the main challenges facing mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) conservation and the protection of their habitats in the East Africa's Greater Virunga Transboundary Landscape (GVTL). Indigenous residents around GVTL are considered the primary illegal users of park resources. Despite this, there is limited understanding of the current and past perceptions of indigenous residents living in communities adjacent to two GVTL parks; Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. Equally, there is also limited understanding regarding the actual incidences of illegal activities inside both parks. This paper addresses these gaps. Perception data were collected from indigenous residents living adjacent to both parks. Further, Ranger-based Monitoring (RbM) data from both parks were analyzed to determine actual numbers and types of illegal activities over the 9-year period. Interestingly, findings indicated that residents perceived the prevalence of illegal activities to be decreasing across GVTL. To the contrary, RbM findings indicated that the number of actual illegal activities was increasing significantly, particularly in Volcanoes National Park. The discrepancy found between the two perspectives provides for a discussion of the social biases potentially present in these data, and their implications for management. Results also illuminated the subsistence-related nature of most illegal behaviors and suggest that to reduce illegal activities and local dependency on park resources, park management must work with communities and support them in tapping into alternative livelihoods and finding ways to address community household subsistence needs.

Ilegalismos en contextos fronterizos entre Paraguay y Argentina. El caso de los combustibleros del Ñeembucú

Diversos tipos de actividades ilícitas contribuyen a la generación de renta y movilizan la economía, en la frontera paraguayo-argentina, algunas de las cuales son ejercidas públicamente y toleradas social e institucionalmente, a pesar de estar punidas conforme al derecho penal. Este artículo se focaliza en uno de estos emprendimientos, conocido como ordeñe de combustible, con el objetivo de describir su dinámica, y los mecanismos de interacción entre los combustibleros, las autoridades y la población, a través de técnicas etnográficas, principalmente la observación participante, entrevistas, conversaciones informales, y la identificación y observación de objetos (barcazas, canoas, mangueras, taques, bidones, lugares de alijo, y puestos de venta). La comercialización del combustible sustraído se realiza de manera pública en varios barrios de la ciudad y transportado diaria o semanalmente a otras regiones del país. La represión del fenómeno es excepcional, debido al pago mensual de los empresarios del rubro a algunas autoridades, así como por la justificación de la práctica en el convencimiento de que genera mano de obra, posibilitando el sostenimiento de las familias. Varios de los involucrados en la cadena comercial, aunque reconocen algún grado de ilegalidad de su práctica, no se perciben como delincuentes justificándola en la necesidad de empleo y la inexistencia de fuentes lícitas de trabajo.

Civil Disobedience in Democratic Regimes

This article provides a fresh interpretation of John Rawls's discussion of civil disobedience inA Theory of Justice(Harvard University Press 1971). It focuses on an original feature in Rawls's analysis: civil disobedience as a form of speech deployed by a well-defined minority in an effort to correct an injustice perpetrated by a majority. For Rawls, civil disobedience as a speech function departs from the principle of protected free speech. Only certain expressions of civil disobedience are capable of producing genuine legal reform. Rawls gains new importance as part of a larger effort to understand and evaluate the outbreak of recent movements of mass dissent and protest from the Arab Spring to Ukraine to Hong Kong to the United States. A reconsideration of Rawls may be used to assess the likely success of these various expressions of dissent and protest.Rawls's discussion of civil disobedience circumvents arguments in the legal literature that attempt to justify certain types of illegal activity with reference to moral conscience or natural law. Nevertheless, the focus on civil disobedience as speech encounters forms of coercive, resistant public opinion in the public sphere. Detailed, exemplary narratives by Martin Luther King and Norman Mailer on acts of civil disobedience illuminate forms of coercion that must be considered in extending and re-evaluating Rawls's original contributions.

Typology of illegal fishing in transitional waters: Fisheries infringement records from Mesolonghi-Etolikon lagoons (Ionian Sea, Greece)

Minimizing illegal fishing is of paramount importance for fisheries sustainability. The present study focused on the fisheries infringements through the analysis of the official records in one of the largest Mediterranean lagoons, Mesolonghi-Etolikon, and the analysis of questionnaires answered by local fishermen to determine the true effectiveness of the control efforts. This double analysis represents a valuable case study for determining illegal fisheries practices, status of control, and efficacy of regulations. Results exhibited that: (a) the high contribution of the recorded infringements was due to absence of fishermen/vessel licenses, (b) fines are not proportionate with the type of illegal activity, and (c) the number of the recorded infringements represented a very small percentage of the estimated number of fishing days conducted by both professional fishermen and people not having fishing/vessel license. Findings indicated a situation with great presence of illegality that might completely weak any possibility for assessing the status of fisheries and resources and seriously hamper any definition of thresholds useful for sustainable management. Solutions are discussed especially in the light of revision of regulations and of transparency in the decision-making process.

An Evolutionary Game Theory Approach for Intelligent Patrolling

In order to achieve a secure country, many security policies and strategies have been implemented and numerous security force s have been enlisted such as regular police forces, Army, and Navy, among others. Each security force has different roles and responsibilities. One important area of concern related to national security is border security. Border protection is a chall enging problem due to the different types of illegal activity that must to be controlled such as drug smuggling, terrorist attacks, illegal immigration, etc. One common approach to achieve border security is patrolling. Patrolling can be defined as the act of traveling an area in regular intervals in order to secure it against different threats. This paper presents a hybrid method that combines an evolutionary approach and game theory concepts in order to define the multi-agent patrolling strategy that simultaneously optimizes maximum idleness, infiltration ratio, and total patrolling cost.

Wildlife Crime: Conservation Officers' Perceptions of Elusive Poachers

State conservation officers are law-enforcement agents responsible for enforcing fish and wildlife laws. An important aspect of their job is the identification and apprehension of poachers. This descriptive study sought to identify, from the perspective of conservation officers, the most elusive poachers. In order to elucidate the vagaries surrounding this type of illegal activity, Kentucky state conservation officers were asked to identify the most difficult type of poacher to apprehend, and a categorization of elusive poachers was created based on their responses. Categories included the back door hunter/poacher, the experienced/habitual poacher, the opportunist poacher, the trophy poacher, the poacher who mixes up his schedule, and the quiet one.

Criminal groups and transnational illegal markets

In the study of organised crime, the traditional view of criminal groups as centrally controlled organisations has been replaced by the notion of criminal networks. However, little use has been made of concepts and theories of social networks that have developed in other social sciences. This paper uses concepts from social network theory to describe and tentat- ively explain differences in social organisation between criminal groups that perform three types of transnational illegal activities: smuggling and large-scale heroine trading, trafficking in women, and trading stolen cars. Groups that operate in the large-scale heroin market tend to be close-knit, cohesive and ethnically homogenous. Groups active in the trafficking of women have a chain structure, while those that operate in the market for stolen cars are characterised by three clusters of offenders in a chain. Both groups are less cohesive than criminal groups in the large-scale heroin market. The differences in social organisation between the three types of illegal activities appear to be related to the legal and financial risks associated with the crimes in question, and thereby to the required level of trust between collaborating criminals.

Illegal Hunting and Angling:The Neutralization of Wildlife Law Violations

AbstractThis study provides a descriptive account of rationalizations for poaching used by wildlife law violators. There has been little research on motivations for poaching. This study uses qualitative data obtained from surveys and in-depth interviews with wildlife law violators and conservation officers in Kentucky to examine rationalizations used by wildlife law violators to excuse and justify participation in this type of illegal activity. Comments from conservation officers and violators revealed widespread use of rationalizations, with denial of responsibility being most common. The study also used claims of entitlement, defense of necessity, and denial of necessity of the law. Findings contribute to our knowledge of why people illegally take wildlife resources.