Follow the Money. Stop Organized Crime

Organized criminal groups are flexible in changing or expanding their illicit businesses for profit. They misuse vulnerabilities and crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturns, natural disasters, and armed conflicts exploiting them for their own purposes.

Traditional, territorial-based criminal groups have evolved or have been partially replaced by smaller and more flexible networks with branches across several jurisdictions.

Criminal actors, witnesses, victims and proceeds of crime may be located in many different States. It is therefore evident, that joint efforts from States across the world are required as organized crime cannot be tackled in isolation.

© UN Department of Global Communications

Follow the money. Stop organized crime

The 2025 campaign, “Follow the money. Stop organized crime.”, highlights the cost of transnational organized crime and underscores the importance of tracing illicit financial flows to cut the lifeline of criminal networks.

By targeting the profits of organized crime, we can disrupt operations, strengthen justice and return stolen assets to communities. Everyone, including Member States, international organizations, civil society, the private sector and individuals, is encouraged to take part in this year’s campaign. #StopOrganizedCrime

Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime is applicable to all forms of serious crime of transnational nature committed by organized criminal groups. More than two decades after its adoption it is among the most ratified international legal instruments.

Together with its three Protocols the Convention remains the primary global tool to prevent and address a broad range of criminal activities effectively.

International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime

In March 2024, the General Assembly declared 15 November the International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime, in order to raise awareness of the threats posed by all forms of transnational organized crime and to enhance international cooperation in this regard.

It recognized the importance of the prevention of and fight against transnational organized crime for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The General Assembly commemorated all victims of organized crime, including those who have lost their lives fighting such crime, in particular law enforcement and judicial personnel, and paying special tribute to all those persons, such as Judge Giovanni Falcone, whose work and sacrifice paved the way for the adoption of the Convention, and affirming that their legacy lives on through our global commitment to preventing and combating organized crime.

Continue Reading: https://www.un.org/en/observances/fight-against-transnational-crime-day

For two decades, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has been helping make the world safer from drugs, organized crime, corruption and terrorism. We are committed to achieving health, security and justice for all by tackling these threats and promoting peace and sustainable well-being as deterrents to them.

Tools and publications on the work and efforts of UNODC in the fight against transnational organized crime. Also available resources on human trafficking and migrant smuggling, illicit manufacturing and trafficking in firearms, cybercrime and money laundering.

*SOURCE: The United Nations. Go to ORIGINAL: https://www.un.org/en/observances/fight-against-transnational-crime-day 2025 Human Wrongs Watch