“Death Can Wait”: Drugs on the Frontline in Ukraine | Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime

“Death Can Wait”: Drugs on the Frontline in Ukraine | Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime

Author: Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime May 22, 2023 Duration: 41:03

Throughout history soldiers have used drugs, sometimes to fight better or to stay alert, or perhaps to help cope with the extreme psychological situation and trauma they are faced with. The current conflict in Ukraine is no different.

Concerns around this led to the Ukrainian parliament passing a new law that authorizes random drug and alcohol tests on soldiers. Organized crime is nothing if not adaptable, even in this most extreme environment. The soldiers fighting to protect their homeland represent a new and relatively wealthy market, ripe for criminal networks to exploit. And they are doing just that.

So who is behind this market? This is a story about war, drugs, the darknet and corruption.

Speaker(s):

Ted

Sasha

Additional Reading:

(GI Paper) New front lines: Organized criminal economies in Ukraine in 2022

Business Insider - Russian lawmakers baselessly claim their army is up against biologically modified Ukrainian super soldiers

LiveScience - Nazis Dosed Soldiers with Performance-Boosting 'Superdrug'

History - G.I.s’ Drug Use in Vietnam Soared—With Their Commanders’ Help

The Atlantic - The Drugs That Built a Super Soldier

Journeyman Pictures - Sierra Leone's Cocaine-Drugged Child Soldiers

Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - Lebanon’s role in Syria’s Captagon trade

Washington Post - Zelensky takes on Ukraine’s top internal enemy

Legatum Institute - Looting Ukraine: The East, the West and the Corruption of a Country (Full Version)

Transparency International - Corruption Perceptions Index

US DoJ Press release - Justice Department Investigation Leads to Shutdown of Largest Online Darknet Marketplace

Chainalysis - OFAC Sanctions Hydra Following Law Enforcement Shutdown of the Darknet Market, As Well As Russian Exchange Garantex

National Institute on Drug Abuse - Synthetic Cathinones ("Bath Salts") DrugFacts

UNIAN.info - SBU busts major drug lab in Kyiv region in raid...


Behind the headlines and official reports exists a shadow world of immense scale and complexity. Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime ventures into that space, guided by the experts and analysts of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. This isn't just about recounting crimes; it's a meticulous examination of the systems, economies, and global networks that power them. The scope of this podcast is intentionally vast. You might find one installment unraveling the operations of a hybrid paramilitary cartel, while the next investigates the obscure financial pipelines that enable wildlife trafficking or cyber fraud. Each episode is built on frontline reporting and deep research, translating intricate criminal ecosystems into compelling narrative. Recognized with awards for its thorough approach, including twice winning 'Best Deep Dive Podcast,' the series offers listeners clarity on some of the world's most opaque and powerful structures. Tune in for a sober, authoritative look beyond the surface, where the real stories of global illicit power are told.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 49

Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime
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