Exploring the Cooperation between Organised Crime Groups on a Global Scale

• In Event: New Directions in Transnational and Organized Crime Research

Abstract

In 2013, it was discovered that two large organised crime groups in Hong Kong have supplied one of the world’s most powerful drug cartels (the Sinaloa cartel) with the raw materials of methamphetamine. These types of crime groups have adopted a more complex network and operating strategy, and groups are now cooperating with each other on an international level. As a result, it has become more challenging for law enforcement to outsmart organised criminals. Previous studies have identified the links between terrorist groups and organised crime groups; however there is still a gap in the literature regarding the links between transnational organised crime groups. This presentation will firstly illustrate how open source intelligence can be used to explore the complexity of transnational organised crime groups, and how social networking techniques can shed more light on the links between such groups. The study will aim to further clarify the complex operational process of transnational organised crime groups. In addition, the presentation will discuss further research on the attributes which enable trust between these types of groups.

Author

• Sanaz Zolghadriha, University College London