See also: the Anti-Illicit Trade Institute
Illicit trade and associated criminal activities are estimated to account for between 8 and 15 per cent of global GDP (OECD). A significant proportion of the trafficking in illicit goods and contraband can be traced to a small number of supply routes, safe haven hubs that specialize in illegal manufacturing, diversion, and/or cross-border smuggling while also serving as money laundering centres.
This project will analyze some of these most important safe haven hubs, to answer the following questions:
- Which are key illicit routes and safe haven hubs of the global illicit trade, and what is their impact?
- How are key sectors impacted by these routes and criminalized markets?
- What illicit threats and related trends are emerging as a result of COVID-19?
- What are the factors that facilitate their role as enablers of global illicit trade?
- What are appropriate policy responses, both local and international (cross-border) are effective to counter the global enablers of safe haven hubs for illicit trade?
- What different types of illicit trade converges at these hubs: i.e. narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and trafficking, smuggling of consumer items and counterfeits?
- Are there facilitators from the legitimate economy at the major illicit trade hubs?
- Who are these facilitators and are they local, regional or international companies?
- What role does corruption play in facilitating the trace at these key hubs of illicit trade?
The project will provide an analytical basis for advocacy and policy efforts aimed at disrupting the illicit production and trafficking in and through these safe haven hubs, and providing evidence-based research that can enhance investigations of the global illegal manufacturing and trafficking and disruption of related illicit markets.
Project Output
May 23, 2023
Hubs of Illicit Trade: Project Summary, May 2023
Presentation on the Tri-Border area (in Portuguese)
See Mirian Gasparin’s press release about HIT entitled, “Estudo Revela Preocupação Com Os Impactos Do Comércio Ilícito Global,” which mentions the project’s work on the Tri-Border area.
March 7, 2023
Disrupting Hubs of Illicit Trade: Policy Recommendations and Industry Solutions
This virtual event was the third in a series of webinars from the Hubs of Illicit Trade (HIT) project that focuses on four hotspots (Dubai, Central America, the Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay tri-border area, and Ukraine) and different types of illicit trades, including natural resources, counterfeits, excise goods, drugs, arms, and human trafficking. Not only does illicit trade have enormous impacts on government revenues and the well-being of society, but it also negatively affects legitimate businesses across all industries and sectors. This panel discussion launched a multi-sector dialogue to address criminal convergence and commonalities across hubs of illicit trade. A new cross-sector approach is critical for disrupting these hubs by tackling their interconnected nature and finding points of convergence between the most affected industries. The webinar panelists discussed their innovative cross-cutting work in this area, focusing on best practices, industry solutions, and good examples of joint initiatives to combat illicit trade. This discussion also provided new insights into policy recommendations and helped enhance our understanding of the common issues and challenges facing the public and private sectors. Addressing these issues together is key to effectively disrupt hubs of illicit trades at the global and regional levels.
Speakers
Monica Ramirez: Global Director, Corporate Affairs, Regulatory and Public Policy
Jerry Cook: VP Government and Trade Relations, HanesBrands, Inc.
Adrian Cheek: Threat Researcher and former UK Law Enforcement Officer
David Luna: Founder, International Coalition Against Illicit Economies; CoDirector, Anti-Illicit Trade Institute (AITI), TraCCC (moderator)
Layla Hashemi, PhD: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, TraCCC (moderator)
Click here for the video
Click here for the slide deck
November 30, 2022
Crime Convergence and the Enabling Environment
Across today’s economies, supply chains, and online marketplaces, illicit trade remains a pernicious threat that has enormous costs for governments, businesses, and communities. A significant proportion of the trafficking in illicit goods and contraband can be traced to an interlinked network of routes, financial safe havens, and trade hubs that not only enable illicit economies, corruption, and money laundering, but also help fuel greater insecurity and instability across borders. Based on our new research on illicit trade hubs in Dubai, Central America, and the Tri-Border Area (Brazil/Argentina/Paraguay), this event used case studies to examine the impacts of crime convergence and the enabling environment on the facilitation of illicit trade and new criminal threats that multiply harms across regions.
Speakers
- Dr. Christian Vianna de Azevedo: Under Secretary of Justice and Public Security for Intelligence, Joint Operations and Integration, Department of Justice and Public Security in the State of Minas Gerais – Brazil
- Daniel Rico: Founder and General Director, C-Análisis
- Dr. Rashmi Singh: Associate Professor, PUC Minas, Brazil; co-founder and co-director, Research Network on Terrorism, Radicalization and Transnational Crime (TRAC); Coordinator, Laboratory for Research and Projects in International Relations, PUC Minas
- Dr. Yulia Krylova: Research Scholar, TraCCC; Data Analyst, World Bank Group
- Jorge Lasmar (moderator): Dean of Post-Graduate Studies, Professor of International Law, Faculdades Milton Campos, Brazil (Moderator)
- Dr. Jorge Lasmar (moderator): Professor, PUC Minas, Brazil; co-founder and co-director TRAC; CEO Agama BT; Director of Legal Affairs of the International Association for Security and Intelligence Studies (INASIS), Regional Coordinator of the Terrorism Research Network (TRI)
June 14, 2022
Hubs of Illicit Trade: Project Launch
TraCCC held a meeting for the launch of a new project, Hubs of Illicit Trade, which seeks to better understand illicit trade, and the hubs that represent an outsized portion of that activity. Dr. Louise Shelley led our global team of experts and researchers in a discussion of the issue and this exciting project. Among the questions we hope to answer with this project are:
WHY are hubs of illicit trade becoming an increasing security concern across the international community?
WHAT are the driving factors? What are the key sectors?
WHO are the enablers? What are their tools?
WHAT has been the impact of COVID and the explosion of E-commerce? Corruption? The war in Ukraine and other violent conflicts?
And most important of all: What can we do about it? What are the right policies to counter the global enablers of hubs of illicit trade?
