Organised crime is not just the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters. Large scale drug drops, arms trafficking and money laundering are very real in modern Australia - with our criminal justice system, like those overseas, often playing catch-up.
This month The University of Queensland hosts the annual Transnational Organised Crime Program - an international research and learning initiative.
The course has been run since 2018 in conjunction with the University of Vienna and the University of Zurich, with the University of Cologne and the University of Ferrara joining the program in 2023.
UQ News caught up with course convenor, Criminal Law Professor Andreas Schloenhardt from the T.C. Beirne School of Law, to get an overview.
Q: What does transnational organised crime look like in 2023?
A: Transnational Organised Crime has always been a 'moving target' - different crime types and organisations have made headlines at different times.
Now we are seeing criminal groups become more sophisticated and better networked.
Globally the most prevalent type of organised crime remains the illicit trade in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
Given the high demand, including in Australia, and the massive supply from source countries, illicit drugs are also the most profitable criminal business.
For this reason, we've seen recent record seizures of cocaine smuggled across the Pacific.
Similarly, trafficking in arms, fauna and flora, people - such as the smuggling of migrants - are transnational industries generating large profits for criminal organisations.
The players involved encompass a great range of groups ranging from hierarchically structured organisations such as the Mafia or Chinese triads, to associations such as outlaw motorcycle gangs.
There are also loose networks that don't use common names or identifiers but operate more on a 'needs' basis.
How big a problem is transnational organised crime in Australia?
It's difficult to give accurate figures for a phenomenon that is, by nature, clandestine and illegal.
But it's fair to say that Australia has a significant organised crime problem, with some sources putting the amount of damage and losses in the billions of dollars.
Italian groups such as the 'Ndrangheta are making headlines here, Colombian and other Latin American cartels are finding a lucrative business in selling cocaine in Australia, and Chinese organised crime has been associated with Australian casinos.
The problem is definitely present in Australia, has been for a long time, and is here to stay.
This includes many organised criminal groups and networks that are less visible and not or not yet known to the authorities.
Has COVID had any impact on transnational organised crime operations?
In short, the impact has been a shift rather than a reduction in organised crime.
Border closures and the suspension of flights and travel meant organised criminal groups had to look for new means and methods.
This meant contraband such as illicit drugs, previously smuggled by people, was instead mailed through the postal system or put on cargo ships.
The demand for some drugs changed, but there was no overall decrease.
By and large the illicit trade in firearms, wildlife and other commodities also continued unabated throughout the pandemic.
How well do criminal justice systems - here and overseas - deal with transnational organised crime?
They've come a long way and learned a thing or two but I would say much of the response, including in Australia, has been piecemeal and reactionary.
There's been a flurry of activity to combat organised crime in Australia over the past 10 to 15 years, but the focus has often only been on individual groups or particular crimes.
For example, in the late 2000s there was much resolve to stop the activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs in south-east Queensland, while the operations of other criminal groups were largely ignored.
Similarly at the federal level, the government obsessed about fighting the smuggling of migrants while other, more heinous and more profitable crime types did not receive the same attention.
Why is it important to study transnational organised crime?
Organised crime is not new, but it's everchanging and we need to understand the trends and challenges.
Policies, laws and practical measures to prevent and stop organised crime remain poorly developed in most countries and at the global level.
This year our course looks specifically at shielding the criminal justice system (prosecutors, the judiciary, prisons) from the influence of organised criminal groups who often threaten witnesses, intimidate officials, or try to recruit new members from prison.
We hope our work can shed some light on a problem characterised by secrecy and rapid change, and help identify better ways to prevent organised crime and bring perpetrators to justice.
The focus of the Transnational Organised Crime Course 2022-2023 is 'organised crime, criminal procedure and prisons'.
Law students from the participating universities are researching the distinct challenges for criminal justice systems in detaining, prosecuting and imprisoning members of criminal organisations.
The students will publish peer-reviewed research, and a website will be developed to showcase past and present courses, participants, research outcomes and expertise in this field.
