crime across the border : Illicit trade

Collaborating across sectors and borders Illicit trade—the production and exchange of counterfeit or smuggled goods, as well as trafficking in animals, humans and illegal items—can be lucrative. According to the International Chamber of Commerce, the financial cost of illicit trade is estimated to be $4.2trn annually. Criminals profit from the sale of banned products like drugs and firearms, and use anonymity to keep their international networks hidden. When it comes to cross-border movement of illegal goods, North America’s expansiveness exacerbates the problem. The United States shares the world’s longest land border (at 8,890km), with Canada and the busiest land border crossing with Mexico. This makes preventing smuggling and illegal migration especially challenging for border security and customs agencies. With just over 12,000km in land borders and approximately 230,000km of coastline, North America is ripe with opportunities for criminal networks to traffic people and illegal goods and improve their position in the illicit market. Technology has also empowered criminals, who now use mobile devices, digital currencies and the internet to adapt to the market. Authorities find it harder to catch them partly due to e-commerce, since servers can be anywhere in the world. Meanwhile, online consumers find it difficult to tell the difference between legitimate and illegitimate goods. Stopping transnational crime requires collaboration between companies and local, national and international authorities. These organisations will need regular communication on cross-border illicit trade flows and new penalties, international regulations and standards. Governments must also educate their populations on how to identify and avoid buying illicit items. Agenda Case studies and solution-focused sessions Networking Meet in-person and take advantage of exclusive networking opportunities