Free Trade Zones: How to Combat Illicit Trade and Counterfeiting

Given the scale of cross-border threats posed by the multi-trillion dollar illicit trade and illicit economies globally, we need to recalibrate our past approaches and pivot to newer strategies, innovations, and capabilities to ensure greater transparency and enforcement in free trade zones (FTZs).

Criminals and corrupt officials exploit FTZs when there are weaknesses in governance, poor oversight, and a lack of information sharing and coordination processes.

To combat risky and unruly illicit spaces in Free Trade Zones, we need to address not only corruption and organized crime within these unique hubs for trade and economic growth, but also extend our focus across source, transit, and demand markets where money laundering is occurring, including counterfeits, drugs, opioids, endangered wildlife, and humans. To learn more click here.