Organized Crime Hot Spots Around the World 💰

What We're Showing

This graphic shows organized crime hot spots around the world, based on data from the Global Organized Crime Index.

Methodology

The Global Organized Crime Index analyzes 193 countries based on their scale of criminal activity. It includes three main components:

• Criminal actor influence and structure: e.g. mafia-style groups, criminal networks, state-embedded actors
• Criminal market scale and impact: e.g. arms trafficking, heroin trade, human trafficking
• Each country’s resilience to organized crime: e.g. judicial system, government transparency

Key Takeaways

• Organized crime groups have surged in recent decades, aided by the rise of synthetic drugs, encrypted technologies, and multinational operations.
• Crime groups in Venezuela and Colombia are known for their involvement in extortion, human trafficking, and the illegal arms trade.
• Myanmar also ranks highly due to the country being a source for arms trafficking and human trafficking networks.
• In Mexico, criminal actors are increasingly targeting the food industry, including avocados, tortillas, and limes, among others.