Crackdown on Organized Crime

Syllabus: GS2/ governance

Context

• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is going to launch a national database of gangsters, criminals running their gangs from behind jails, and their associates.

What are Organized Crimes?

• Organized crime refers to structured, coordinated illegal activities conducted by criminal groups that undermine governance, political stability, and the rule of law. 
• These activities include the illicit trafficking of firearms, drugs, endangered species, cultural property, falsified medical products, human trafficking, and the smuggling of migrants.
  • Additionally, organized crime extends to financial crimes like money laundering and terror financing.

Menace of organized crimes

• According to the Global Organized Crime Index, a tool to measure levels of organized crime in a country, India ranks 61st among 193 countries in 2023.
• According to estimates, India’s shadow economy accounts for 20%-25% of GDP, much of which is linked to organized crime.
• According to a FICCI (Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying Economy) report, organized crime activities like smuggling and counterfeiting cost India’s economy around ₹1 lakh crore annually.

Challenges associated with organized crimes

• Political Nexus: Corrupt officials and political links provide protection, eroding governance.
• Illicit Trafficking: Major issues include drug, human, and arms trafficking, exacerbated by India’s proximity to key trafficking routes.
• Cybercrime: Increased use of digital platforms for fraud, money laundering, and cyber-enabled crimes complicates enforcement.
• Economic Impact: Money laundering and counterfeit goods harm the economy and public health.
• Weak Law Enforcement: Limited resources, coordination issues, and outdated systems hinder crime-fighting efforts.

Agencies Tackling Organized Crime in India

• Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI): It investigates complex organized crime cases, corruption, financial fraud, and transnational crimes.
• National Investigation Agency (NIA): It focuses on terrorism-related cases but also handles organized crime with links to terrorist networks.
• Enforcement Directorate (ED): It investigates financial crimes such as money laundering and foreign exchange violations related to organized crime.
• Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-IND): It analyzes financial transactions to detect money laundering and terror financing linked to organized crime.
• Border Security Force (BSF) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) to monitor and control cross-border smuggling and trafficking.

Agencies Tackling Organized Crime Across Globe

• INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization): It facilitates international police cooperation in fighting organized crime, drug trafficking, cybercrime, and human trafficking.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC): It works globally to prevent organized crime, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, and money laundering.
• Financial Action Task Force (FATF): It focuses on combating money laundering, terror financing, and the financial networks of organized crime.

Way Ahead

• Dark Web Monitoring: Invest in technologies to monitor and shut down organized crime activities occurring on the dark web, including illegal trade and smuggling.
• Coordination and Intelligence Sharing: Improve coordination between local, state, and central law enforcement agencies to facilitate quick response and intelligence sharing.
• Transnational Task Forces: Create transnational task forces that operate across countries to dismantle international crime syndicates.
• Extradition Treaties: Strengthen extradition agreements with other countries to ensure that organized crime suspects cannot evade justice by fleeing across borders.

Source: IE