The world is losing the fight against international gangs
Globalisation and technological progress are leading to a boom in organised crime.
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Ecuadorean armed forces and police officers arrested alleged members of the Latin Kings gang following a security joint operation in Duran, Ecuador, on Oct 24.
PHOTO: AFP
The Economist
As the world teeters on the brink of what could become the worst trade wars since the 1930s, with international capital flows falling and cross-border trade and investment stagnating, there is one glaring exception to this unravelling of globalisation: International gangsters and organised criminals are on a roll. They are merrily pursuing opportunities around the world, moving goods across borders, establishing country-spanning supply chains and hiring talent internationally.
“I fear the world is losing the fight against gangs and organised crime,” says Mr Jurgen Stock, who on Nov 7 stepped down after a 10-year stint as the secretary-general of Interpol, an international police organisation. “The growth in the breadth, scale and professionalism of organised crime is unprecedented.”
