The Index

Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
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  • TRUE CRIME

The Index is a podcast based around the Global Organized Crime Index, an online tool that ranks levels of criminality and resilience in 193 countries. From drug trafficking and mafia-style crimes to criminal justice and security – In this series we’ll take a deep dive into the Global Organized Crime Index with leading experts and look at some of the biggest organized crime threats facing countries and regions around the world. The Index was nominated for 'Best Video Podcast' at the 2024 Publishers Podcast Awards. Disclaimer: This series was funded in part by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

  1. MAY 13

    Who is making Russia's drones? The migrant women exploited for Russia's war economy

    The full-scale war in Ukraine has been raging for three years now. One of the defining military developments during this conflict has been the use of drones. And both sides have utilised them with devastating effect. These include the small drone operators dropping bombs on unsuspecting troops to the Iranian-designed Shahed kamikaze drones smashing into residential buildings in Ukrainian cities. In Russia, where many people have been drafted into the military, the country has seen a labour shortage in key industries that support its war machine. One such industry is the manufacture of Shahed drones, which are now built in Russia. In 2023, reports about the people building these drones emerged, first in the Russian media, and then in an investigation by the Associated Press. The AP investigation revealed that Russian drone manufacturers had been falsely recruiting young women from a number of African countries, such as Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria – to work in a drone factory located in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Russia’s Tatarstan. The young women applied through an online advertisement called ‘Alabuga Start’, which falsely advertised a work-study program in industries like catering or hospitality and offered free plane tickets and money. But the workers are unaware of the reality where they were put to work in factories building drones that would be launched against Ukraine. According to the Global Organized Crime Index – labour exploitation and false recruitment practices fall under human trafficking, as it involves “a form of coercion, deception, abduction or fraud” – and Eastern Africa leads globally for the most pervasive human trafficking market (with a score of 7.78 out of 10). 6 out of the 9 countries in the region, roughly 67%, score eight or higher for Human Trafficking and is only equalled in the region by arms trafficking. Russia itself has relatively high levels as well, at 7.5 out of 10. This episode will address concerns around the example of Alabuga Start and whether or not it is an example of human trafficking. Presenter: Thin Lei Win Speaker(s): Julia Stanyard, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime Links Paper - Who is making Russia's drones? The migrant women exploited for Russia's war economy Russia Country Profile Ukraine Country Profile South Africa Country Profile Uganda Country Profile Kenya Country Profile Rwanda Country Profile South Sudan Country Profile Nigeria Country Profile Sierra Leone Country Profile The...

    20 min

  2. APR 23

    Cannabis legalization efforts in Morocco

    In August 2024, King Mohammed VI pardoned over 4800 Cannabis farmers in Morocco. This came as part of the country’s wider legalization efforts to tap into the economic potential of the booming global cannabis market. Morocco is one of the world's leading cannabis producers, and in 2021 it approved a bill regulating cannabis cultivation for medical, pharmaceutical and industrial purposes. According to the Global Organized Crime Index, this step towards better regulation has contributed to Morocco’s increased resilience score for National Policies and Laws from 6.0 to 6.5. However, the vast majority of Morocco's territorial areas of cultivation remain in the hands of the illicit economy. With a score of 9 out of 10, Morocco currently sits at the top of the OC Index for Cannabis Trade. Presenter: Thin Lei Win Speaker(s): Raouf Farrah, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime Links Webinar - Morocco’s regularization of cannabis production: Anticipated impacts on the illicit cannabis economy Morocco Country Profile The Global Organized Crime Index Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

    17 min

  3. 12/10/2024

    Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs in Canada

    In Canada, Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs, often referred to as a "1%" Club, include infamous names like the Hells Angels, The Outlaws, Bandidos. The Hells Angels are reported to have over 450 chapters across almost 60 countries around the world – many of those are in Canada. According to Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the RCMP, Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, are involved in a range of illicit markets – fraud, counterfeiting, money laundering, extortion, corruption, drug trafficking, illicit firearms trafficking, violence and murder. According to the Global Organized Crime Index, Canada has very high levels of resilience to organized crime, with a score of 7.21 out of 10 – placing it 23rd globally. On the other side of the coin, Canada has low levels of criminality – with 3.88 out of 10 – sitting 160th out of 193 countries. The Criminal Actor score is 3.9 out of 10, BUT mafia style groups is the highest form of criminal actor at 5/10, and outlaw motorcycle gangs are the most widespread in Canada, with Nova Scotia of particular interest due to its port of entry for illegal drugs. In this episode, Thin sits down with Conor King, from the Victoria Police Department to discuss the role of outlaw motorcycle clubs in the illicit economies of Canada. Presenter: Thin Lei Win Speaker(s): Conor King, Detective Inspector, Victoria Police Department, Canada Links Canada Country Profile The Global Organized Crime Index Washington Post - Iran turns to Hells Angels and other criminal gangs to target critics Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

    22 min

  4. 11/19/2024

    Vietnam & human trafficking

    In August police in Vietnam uncovered an infant trafficking ring which had purchased and resold at least 16 infants, ages ranging from just days to a few months old, leading to further investigations that uncovered 84 suspected trafficking cases across 32 provinces. In this episode, we delve into the harrowing realities of human trafficking in Vietnam. For more than two decades the country has been a source, destination, and transit point, with a troubling score of 7 out of 10 on the Global Organized Crime Index. Criminal actors involved include local recruitment agencies, family members and acquaintances of victims, and foreign actors such as Chinese and Korean ‘bride recruitment’ brokers. Criminals are increasingly professional, and form closed interprovincial, transnational and international networks. Vietnam's resilience to human trafficking, more specifically, Victim and Witness Support and especially Non-State Actors scores were critically low in the 2023 OC Index assessment. Presenter: Thin Lei Win Speaker(s): Hai Thanh Luong, Research Fellow, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University Links Vietnam Country Profile The Global Organized Crime Index Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

    18 min

  5. 10/29/2024

    The Mocro Mafia in Western Europe

    The 'Marengo Trial' lasted years, finally resulting in multiple convictions of the so-called Mocro Mafia, including one of its most infamous leaders, Ridouan Taghi, who was convicted of murder among other things. Who are the Mocro Mafia? They were born out of the Dutch-Moroccan community in the Netherlands during the 90s, starting with the smuggling of hashish before moving onto the much more profitable cocaine. Its estimated that they control up to a third of the cocaine market in Europe. But they have also left a trail of destruction in their wake, journalists and lawyers have been murdered, bombs have been detonated, many have been killed. The Mocro Mafia have grown beyond the Netherlands and now operate transnationally, they are active in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, the UAE, Suriname, Colombia and Spain. According to the Global Organized Crime Index, there has been an increase in the 'Criminal Actor' and 'Criminal Markets' score in Western Europe. Criminal markets have increased from 4.06 to 4.48 out of 10. All criminal markets have increased over the last few years in this region, but the largest increase was in the Mocro Mafia's prime market, the cocaine trade, now at 5.77 out of 10 - that is the highest regional score in Europe. Presenter: Thin Lei Win Speaker(s): Sarah Fares, Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime OC Index Country profile(s): Netherlands country profile Germany country profile Belgium country profile Spain country profile Suriname country profile UAE country profile Colombia country profile Additional Links: Violence without borders: Why is drug-related violence spilling over into Germany? The Global Organized Crime Index Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

    15 min

  6. 09/24/2024

    Paraguay: Rising Criminality

    When we think about the global drugs trade – countries like Colombia and Mexico often come to mind. But according to the Global Organized Crime Index, the country that sits just behind those two is Paraguay. In fact, Paraguay sits 4th globally for levels of criminality, with 7.52 out of 10. It has really high scores for illicit markets like arms trafficking (9), counterfeit goods (9), Cocaine (8.5), and Cannabis (9). But then if we look at Criminal Actors within the OC Index, again, Paraguay scores incredibly highly across the board, for example state-embedded actors are at 9 out of 10, alongside foreign criminal actors. Overall, its Criminal Actor score is 8.3 out of 10. Since 2021, Paraguay has seen an increase of 0.82 in levels of criminality, which means it climbed 12 places to 4th globally. In addition to this, levels of resilience have remained relatively low, at 3.42 out of 10. Only four other countries have seen a larger increase in the gap between criminality and resilience. In this episode Thin discusses the situation in Paraguay. Presenter: Thin Lei Win Speakers: Professor Alba Maria González Rolón, former Judge for the first and only court dealing with Organized Crime in Paraguay and member of the GI Network of Experts. OC Index Country profile(s): Paraguay Country Profile Additional Links: The Global Organized Crime Index Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

    13 min
  7. TRAILER: Underworlds with Mark Shaw - Underworlds with Mark Shaw

    TRAILER

    TRAILER: Underworlds with Mark Shaw - Underworlds with Mark Shaw

    Welcome to Underworlds with Mark Shaw. Organized Crime is everywhere, hidden in plain sight. The stories from this world have been mythologised by Hollywood. But the reality can be even stranger and more exciting than fiction. From the golden age of the American mafia (La Cosa Nostra), to the modern-day cocaine empires, and from the shadowy links between organized crime and terrorism, to the twilight of the Yakuza. In this series Mark Shaw, the Director of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime delves into non-fiction books about organized crime and the illicit economy with the authors themselves. He asks questions about their background and investigations, but also the challenges associated in writing about this murky world.

    2 min

  8. 07/30/2024

    India, Ivory Poaching, and Technology

    Ivory poaching is a problem wherever we find elephants, and that is no different in India. The ivory taken from the Asian elephants has long been prized in both traditional Chinese medicine and also ivory artefacts. According to the Global Organized Crime Index, India has low score for Criminal Actors (4.8), but scores highly for Criminal Markets (6.7), where it sits 16th globally. Ivory poaching falls into the category of Fauna Crimes, here India scores 7.0 out of 10, that places the country 25th globally. But India also has the highest levels of Resilience (5.42) to organized crime in South Asia. In this episode we discuss an AI-driven technology developed specifically to help combat ivory poaching in India. Presenter: Thin Lei Win Speakers: Sharada Balasubramanian, independent environmental journalist. Links: (Article) ‘Hawk-eyed: India is fighting its ivory poachers with a powerful tech weapon’ ECOSOLVE project Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) - Kerala Forest & Wildlife Department takes official charge of ‘HAWK’ to Combat Wildlife Crime OC Index Country profile(s): India Country Profile Additional Links: The Global Organized Crime Index The Observatory of Illicit Economies in Central and South Asia (CSA-Obs) Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

    13 min
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Trailer

About

The Index is a podcast based around the Global Organized Crime Index, an online tool that ranks levels of criminality and resilience in 193 countries. From drug trafficking and mafia-style crimes to criminal justice and security – In this series we’ll take a deep dive into the Global Organized Crime Index with leading experts and look at some of the biggest organized crime threats facing countries and regions around the world. The Index was nominated for 'Best Video Podcast' at the 2024 Publishers Podcast Awards. Disclaimer: This series was funded in part by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.

Information

  • Creator
    Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime
  • Show Website
    The Index

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