How globalisation has affected organised crime

 

Globalization has been recognized as a powerful force that has led to the integration of cultures, ideas, and products at an international level. It has been able to make sure that it takes advantage of the current communication and transport infrastructure to enhance the manner through which individuals across the world interact. The result has been that there has developed a level of interdependence at an international level that has never been seen before in history. It has further promoted the enhancement of global poverty alongside prosperity, which has become a paradox because while some individuals have reaped great benefits from globalization, others have ended up becoming its biggest victims. One of the most unfortunate developments in the contemporary world as a result of globalization has been the advancement of OCS at an international level. These organizations have been able to take advantage of the lack of strong international governance to make sure that they are able to get involved in various criminal activities at an international level and at great profits. Furthermore, their activities have taken advantage of the spread of global poverty as a means of bringing about the expansion of their influence on a global scale. The lack of official information concerning the influence of OCS at an international level has made it virtually impossible for governments to fight them effectively. Globalization has become one of the most significant contributors to OCS attaining an international level and this has led them to expand their activities to a transnational level.

The inequality that has been brought about by globalization cannot be underestimated because it has affected individuals across the world, especially in developing countries. It has led individuals affected by poverty to become involved in illegal businesses in order to survive (Enamorado, López-Calva, Rodríguez-Castelán, & Winkler, 2016). Among these businesses are those that are associated with OCS which facilitates the development of a situation where they are able to make ends meet. Some of the OCS are responsible for human trafficking and these have sought to take advantage of those individuals affected by poverty so that they have ended up in a situation where they are forced to give up large sums of money in order to be smuggled into the countries that they desire. The trafficking syndicates do not usually keep their promises to the people that they smuggle because in some cases, they gain considerable power over them. Instead of setting them free once they arrive at their destination, it is common for OCS to take advantage of these individuals in such a way that they not only end up providing free labor for many years, but they are also deprived of their rights and at times even sold into prostitution (Shelley, 2011). The failure of the international system to make sure that there is the advancement of the rights of individuals has made it possible for OCS to take advantage of the vulnerability of the poor, and paint glorious pictures of quick wealth in developed countries, which makes these individuals become victims. Among the people who have become the most victimized are those coming from Latin America with their final destination being the United States. Another group of individuals that are often victimized are often those from the war zones of the Middle East, who seek to reach Western Europe in order to improve their economic situations. Under these circumstances, OCS have attained a level of prominence in the human trafficking business that it has become essential for international organizations and institutions to address these issues urgently.

Drug dealing at an international level has also become a lucrative business for OCS because of globalization. This is because globalization and the development of a shared culture has ushered in an age where there is greater demand for drugs such as cocaine and heroin in the market (Bagley, 2004). The OCS have taken advantage of this situation to ensure that they undertake to supply these drugs to the global market. The lack of any significant intergovernmental cooperation when it comes to the war on drugs has made it virtually impossible for governments to curb the growing power of OCS. Instead, the latter have been able to spread their influence into those countries in the world where they were previously not present. Furthermore, they make use of the globalized communication infrastructure to not only organize their operations, but also make use of the transport infrastructure to distribute the drugs (Bagley, 2012). The result has been that OCS have been able to attain a hold over their desired markets and these has led to a considerable increase in their influence on a global scale. The proceeds from the trade in drugs are at times used in investments into legitimate businesses, which often act as fronts for money laundering.

The trade in counterfeit goods has also become a lucrative one for OCS because they are able to make use of the same channels as legitimate ones in order to put their goods into the market. There has been the expansion of these criminal activities to such an extent that it has become common for OCS to distribute counterfeit goods, especially in developing countries. The relative success of these organizations has come about because of the considerable lack of effective regulations when it comes to the implementation of international laws (Hennigs et al., 2015). Furthermore, the failure of effective intergovernmental cooperation has made it possible for OCS to improve their reach into markets that have traditionally been dominated by legitimate businesses. OCS have become involved in the trafficking of firearms, rare artifacts, among others through taking advantage of the forces of globalization that make it possible for legitimate businesses to thrive. The failure by regulatory authorities has made sure that OCS are able to thrive in a globalized environment in such a way that they have attained competence when it comes to overcoming those authorities that regulate the movement between national borders. Globalization has essentially made it possible for OCS to thrive alongside legitimate business, and this can be considered one of the most significant failures of this aspect of the contemporary world.

The deregulation of global trade has made it possible for OCS to thrive because there is little regulation over the movement of goods and services. Most national governments, because of the reduction of regulation at an international level, have found it quite difficult to contain OCS and these have taken advantage of this situation to make sure that they are able to achieve their criminal objectives. The lack of regulation has made it possible for OCS that are involved in the trafficking business to expand their influence to such an extent that they have been able to gain a grip over a considerable chunk of the global illegal trade (Andreas, 2011). These organizations have also taken advantage of the deregulated financial system to not only move funds, but also to launder their proceedings from illegal businesses. The deregulated financial system as well as global trade has made it more convenient for OCS to make sure that they are not only able to undertake their activities unchecked, but also to bring about a situation where they are able to participate in transactions that, while illegitimate, cannot be controlled by national governments. Through these transactions, these entities have been able to rake in massive profits while at the same time avoiding the scrutiny of global organizations, which are responsible for a diversity of regulations.

The advancements that have been made in the technological field have greatly enhanced the ability of OCS to function at an international level. This is because the technology is made use of for planning of their operations so that it becomes possible for them to not only bring about the achievement of their goals, but also the spread of their influence across the world (Pinotti, 2015). The use of these technologies make it possible for OCS to not only cultivate new markets, but also to maintain touch with the ones that they have already established because it is one of the best means through which to make sure that communications are handled in an effective but anonymous manner. The introduction of legislation with the aim of making sure that the illegal activities of OCS are curbed tend not to be effective because communication technology has become so advanced that these organizations are able to make sure that they can avoid the consequences of the laws that have been passed. Governments have come to have a hard time bringing the members of OCS to justice because the process is often one that is hindered by the international nature of their operations. Instead, these organizations have ended up in a situation where they are not hindered by most government activities against them. Instead, they are placed in a position where they can easily bend the international rules to suit their activities and this in such a way that these activities are hidden from governments and regulatory authorities at an international level.

The operations of OCS at the international level have been greatly enhanced through the increased mobility that individuals enjoy in the globalized world. It has also led to the interaction between individuals from different cultures and backgrounds, which has brought about a situation where it has become possible for OCS from different countries to coordinate their activities in such a way that they take advantage of the current globalized world (Varese, 2011). It has also ensured that there is the establishment of means through which to ensure that the cooperation between OCS makes it possible for these organizations to maintain a veneer of legality despite the fact that they are actually conducting illegal business. This level of cooperation has also led to the development of new areas within which OCS can have operations, as seen in the manner that they operate international cybercrime operations which often end up bringing them a lot of money in ransoms that are paid by individuals whose computer systems and networks are being held at ransom.

In conclusion, the international level of operations that OCS have specialized in can be considered one of the benefits that globalization has given to organized crime. This has been to such an extent that these organizations have been able to thrive in an environment that has otherwise brought with it many positive changes to society. It is expected that unless the international governance system is enhanced, OCS will continue to thrive in the globalized world.