Obstacles and best practices in fighting against trafficking in cultural goods.

• In Event: WG Organized Crime and Criminal Networks Panel 3. Preventing and policing organized crime

Abstract

Exploration of crime control concerning cultural heritage (CH) crime encounters prevalent pessimism within posibilities of curbing this tendency. Scholars underscore the ineffectiveness of criminal justice efforts against trafficking in cultural goods (TCG). Unlike other forms of organized crime, negative assessments are recurrent in cultural property (CP) crime.
Once exposed that, this study try to challenge this conventional perspective, emphasizing cross-national diversity in anti-TCG capabilities and noting improvement in crime control scenarios. While acknowledging areas for refinement, this paper highlights a discrepancy between detected cases and sentenced offenses, urging exploration of impediments to meeting collective expectations, particularly in prosecution and sentencing as well as cooperation issues among law enforcement agencies and public awareness obstacles emerge as primary concerns.
Having said that, addressing these challenges necessitates ambitious public-private partnerships and public involvement. Empirical findings suggest nuanced views among law enforcement units regarding the role of technological innovations in crime prevention and control. Scholars and policymakers extensively explore best practices against CP crime, with initiatives like the EU Action Plan against Trafficking in Cultural Goods showing promise. Likewise, it also important to mention the role of the Italian police squad Carabinieri TPC, renowned for its achievements in combating CH crime, emerges as a potential model for replication across Europe.
To sum up, in this paper we try to expose some of the principal obstacles to tackle trafficking in cultural goods crimes as well as these insights shed light on refining crime control strategies against CP crime and navigating challenges in preserving cultural heritage.

Author

• David Castro-Liñares, University of A Coruna