Millions of unregistered firearms, surging drug addiction, and cross-border trafficking have turned Pakistan into a hotspot for organized crime. Corruption and economic instability have allowed illicit markets — from heroin to weapons — to flourish.

Terrorist groups like the Tehrik-e-Taliban are thriving in this landscape, carrying out deadly attacks and deepening insecurity.

And in the midst of this unrest, a suicide bombing in Pahalgam that killed 26 Indian tourists has reignited military tensions with India — adding fuel to the long-standing conflict over Indian-administered Kashmir.

According to the OC Index, arms trafficking in Pakistan is only getting worse - the criminal market scored 8.5 out of 10 in 2023, an increase of 0.5 from 2021 – placing it alongside the likes of Russia, Mexico, Turkey and others.

Presenter: Thin Lei Win

Speaker(s): Paddy Ginn, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

Links:

Pakistan Country Profile

The Global Organized Crime Index

The full-scale war in Ukraine has been raging for three years now. One of the defining military developments during this conflict has been the use of drones. And both sides have utilised them with devastating effect.

These include the small drone operators dropping bombs on unsuspecting troops to the Iranian-designed Shahed kamikaze drones smashing into residential buildings in Ukrainian cities.

In Russia, where many people have been drafted into the military, the country has seen a labour shortage in key industries that support its war machine. One such industry is the manufacture of Shahed drones, which are now built in Russia.

In 2023, reports about the people building these drones emerged, first in the Russian media, and then in an investigation by the Associated Press. The AP investigation revealed that Russian drone manufacturers had been falsely recruiting young women from a number of African countries, such as Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria – to work in a drone factory located in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Russia’s Tatarstan.

The young women applied through an online advertisement called ‘Alabuga Start’, which falsely advertised a work-study program in industries like catering or hospitality and offered free plane tickets and money. But the workers are unaware of the reality where they were put to work in factories building drones that would be launched against Ukraine.

According to the Global Organized Crime Index – labour exploitation and false recruitment practices fall under human trafficking, as it involves “a form of coercion, deception, abduction or fraud” – and Eastern Africa leads globally for the most pervasive human trafficking market (with a score of 7.78 out of 10).

6 out of the 9 countries in the region, roughly 67%, score eight or higher for Human Trafficking and is only equalled in the region by arms trafficking.

Russia itself has relatively high levels as well, at 7.5 out of 10.

This episode will address concerns around the example of Alabuga Start and whether or not it is an example of human trafficking.

Presenter: Thin Lei Win

Speaker(s): Julia Stanyard, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

Links

Paper - Who is making Russia's drones? The migrant women exploited for Russia's war economy

Russia Country Profile

Ukraine Country Profile

South Africa Country Profile

Uganda Country Profile

Kenya Country Profile

Rwanda Country Profile

South Sudan Country Profile

Nigeria Country Profile

Sierra Leone Country Profile

The...

In August 2024, King Mohammed VI pardoned over 4800 Cannabis farmers in Morocco. This came as part of the country’s wider legalization efforts to tap into the economic potential of the booming global cannabis market.

Morocco is one of the world's leading cannabis producers, and in 2021 it approved a bill regulating cannabis cultivation for medical, pharmaceutical and industrial purposes.

According to the Global Organized Crime Index, this step towards better regulation has contributed to Morocco’s increased resilience score for National Policies and Laws from 6.0 to 6.5.

However, the vast majority of Morocco's territorial areas of cultivation remain in the hands of the illicit economy. With a score of 9 out of 10, Morocco currently sits at the top of the OC Index for Cannabis Trade.

Presenter: Thin Lei Win

Speaker(s): Raouf Farrah, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

Links

Webinar - Morocco’s regularization of cannabis production: Anticipated impacts on the illicit cannabis economy

Morocco Country Profile

The Global Organized Crime Index

Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime