Parallel Economy

Session Submission Type: Pre-arranged Panel

Abstract

In the parallel economy, (financial) economic activities take place entirely or partially outside government regulation (Kruisbergen & Soudijn, 2024). In the field of security, there is a growing need for greater attention to the financial-economic perspective in tackling organized crime. This also applies to academic research on profit-driven crime. The study of such forms of crime often lacks a comprehensive focus on financial and economic aspects. More insight is needed into how the parallel economy functions, how activities within it relate to the legal economic infrastructure, and how security actors can effectively intervene in this economy. Such insight is crucial for government agencies and private parties to sustainably disrupt criminal revenue models and develop evidence-based policies.
This thematic session explores the parallel economy from multiple perspectives: from academic research and practical experiences, focusing both on the phenomena themselves and on intervention strategies, from both administrative and criminal justice perspectives.

Subtopic

• Topic 2: Types of Offending / Organized Crime (Organized Crime WG)

Chair

• Thom Snaphaan, Avans University of Applied Sciences & Ghent University

Individual Presentations

• The parallel economy and underground banking - Melvin Soudijn, National Police of the Netherlands (KLPD); Edwin Kruisbergen, Ministery of Justice and Security

• Compensation as a money laundering technique: Unraveling the ‘Cash Compensation Model’ - Thom Snaphaan, Avans University of Applied Sciences & Ghent University; Sanne Verhoeven, Avans University of Applied Sciences; Katrien van Bergen, Avans University of Applied Sciences; Teun van Ruitenburg, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR) / Avans University of Applied Sciences

• Financial Crime Scripting: Understanding Profit-Driven Crime - Marga Kooistra, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Thom Snaphaan, Avans University of Applied Sciences & Ghent University

• Effects of Amsterdam’s financial administrative barriers to subversive crime - Carla Gonzalez, Municipality of Amsterdam; Yared Stifanos, Municipality of Amsterdam