Expressway to illicit: an exploratory analysis of the misuse of the postal system for trafficking in drugs and other illicit goods

• In Event: Drugs across borders: international research on drug trafficking networks

Abstract

As a result of the changing habits after Covid-19 and the expansion of e-commerce, the postal system is now playing a central role in international trade. However, it has also become more vulnerable to be misused for trafficking purposes. Letters, small parcels and courier consignments are increasingly employed to move drugs across borders (especially synthetic ones, but also cocaine, cannabis, opioids), drug precursors, firearms or their components, fake or stolen medicines, and counterfeit goods. This paper, conducted in the framework of the EU co-funded PARSEC project, has a twofold objective: on the one side, it provides a literature review of the most frequent patterns and schemes in trafficking through the postal service, and of the related risk factors; on the other side, it carries out an exploratory analysis of a large dataset of parcels and courier consignments sampled from the H7 database provided by a leading European custom authority. In particular, the paper analyses anomalies in terms of parcel distribution and concentration, and highlights the characteristics of the courier consignments used to conceal drugs and other illicit goods. It eventually develops a preliminary risk assessment model which could help custom and postal agencies to detect high-risk consignments to be selected for physical inspections.

Authors

• Michele Riccardi, Transcrime - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

• Phillip William Screen, Transcrime - Crime & tech / Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Mi)