Plastics for Profit | Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime

Plastics for Profit | Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime

Author: Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime December 7, 2021 Duration: 56:05

In this episode we look at the criminal involvement in the plastic waste industry.

The lucrative global market in plastic waste is expected to be reach over $50 billion US Dollars by 2022. From Mafia groups to poly-crime networks, the temptation for organised criminal groups and bad actors to get a slice of this market is too hard to resist - and so corners are cut, laws are ignored, and irreversible damage is done.

Alongside this, some waste management companies are used as Fronts to conceal other illicit activities like human trafficking, drug trafficking, prostitution, and various financial crimes like money laundering, tax evasion, mis-invoicing.

Paper: Plastic for Profit: Tracing illicit plastic waste flows, supply chains and actors

Speakers

Virginia Comolli, Research Manager, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Yuyun Ismawati, Special Advisor at the Nexus3 Foundation

Willie Wilson, Vice Chair and Private Sector Engagement Lead, INTERPOL Pollution Crime Working Group

Sedat Gündoğdu, Marine Biologist at Cukurova University in Turkey

Reading

Plastic for Profit: Tracing illicit plastic waste flows, supply chains and actors, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GITOC)

Money Laundering from Environmental Crime, Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

INTERPOL report alerts to sharp rise in plastic waste crime, INTERPOL

Plastic Waste Management and Burden in Indonesia, Nexus3 Foundation

Global Shell Game: Fate of re-exports of seized illegal imports of waste from the USA to Indonesia, Nexus3 Foundation

Why is UK recycling being dumped by Turkish roadsides?, BBC News


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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