19/05/2022
Countering Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) the focus of FBI.
Transnational Organized Crime
FBI Agents Help Arrest Organized Crime Members (Reuters)
The FBI is dedicated to eliminating transnational organized crime groups that threaten the national and economic security of the United States. Using the criminal and civil provisions of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), the FBI works with agencies in the U.S. and worldwide to target the organizations responsible for a variety of crimes.
How TOC Groups Operate
Transnational organized crime (TOC) groups are associations of individuals who operate, wholly or in part, by illegal means. There is no single structure under which TOC groups function—they vary from hierarchies to clans, networks, and cells, and may evolve into other structures.
These groups are typically insular and protect their activities through corruption, violence, international commerce, complex communication mechanisms, and an organizational structure that spans national boundaries.
With few exceptions, TOC groups are looking to make money. TOC groups often commit crimes such as:
drug trafficking
migrant smuggling
human trafficking
money laundering
fi****ms trafficking
illegal gambling
extortion
creating and selling counterfeit goods
wildlife and cultural property smuggling
cyber crime
The vast sums of money involved can compromise legitimate economies and have a direct impact on governments through the corruption of public officials.
Today, TOC groups are more commonly incorporating cyber techniques into their illicit activities, either committing cyber crimes themselves or using cyber tools to facilitate other crimes. Technology also enables TOC groups to engage in traditional criminal activity, such as illegal gambling, but with a greater reach.
TOC poses a significant and growing threat to national and international security with dire implications for public safety, public health, democratic institutions, and economic stability across the globe. It jeopardizes our border security, endangers our health through human trafficking and counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and seeks to corrupt officials domestically and abroad.
Countering Transnational Organized Crime
To combat the ongoing threat posed by these groups, the FBI has a long-established—yet constantly evolving—transnational organized crime program dedicated to eliminating the criminal enterprises that pose the greatest threat to America.
Due to the transnational nature of these criminal enterprises, the FBI leverages relationships domestically and abroad to combat the influence and reach of these organized crime groups. The Bureau deploys subject matter experts to international locations to develop strategies to address TOC matters impacting the region, as well as to identify targets of mutual interest.
The FBI also participates in selecting TOC groups to appear on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Top International Criminal Organizations Target List and contributes to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control efforts to pursue criminal enterprises. Further, to pool resources and leverage technical and investigative expertise, the Bureau participates in many organized crime task forces with our state and local law enforcement partners.
