Organised crime 2.0: global cartels undermine Britain’s security

A spy-style alliance is needed to eliminate organised crime groups that have grown so sophisticated they now threaten Britain’s national security, according to new research. 

The UK should lead the formation of a Five Eyes-inspired group of trusted states that share intelligence and jointly tackle the networks, according to the Tony Blair Institute (TBI). 

Among the recommendations being put forward by the TBI today is greater use of the latest technology including AI and honeytrap operations in dismantling entire transnational operations such as drug and people trafficking, illegal arms sales and fraud. 

Ruthless mob bosses have been replaced by encrypted networks and ‘crime for hire’, while law enforcement in the UK has not kept pace, according to the think-tank.

Alexander Iosad, the TBI’s director of government innovation policy, told Metro: ‘The mafia-style, hierarchical model of organised crime is long gone; organised crime groups (OCGs) are networks with a reach far beyond the borders of any one country.  

‘Trafficking gangs are a good example because we are talking about flows of people and money across borders. They are also a good illustration of how these new criminal organisations work.

‘Along with the physical activity of smuggling they are tech savvy, such as through marketing activity across TikTok and other social media.  

‘The OCGs are much more networked with cybercrime or money laundering for hire; crime is a service industry where groups outsource different activities. 

‘This type of crime is ultimately a national security threat as it overlaps with the nexus of geopolitical conflict and can cross over into terrorist activity in some cases. For example. some terrorist organisations sell drugs to finance their activities.’ 

Under the plan, the UK would lead the formation of an International Serious and Organised Crime Alliance inspired by the Five Eyes intelligence alliance between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and US.

Unlike existing international structures such as INTERPOL, the alliance would focus on entire groups rather than individuals. 

Stings including honetraps, delivery interceptions, AI bots posing as victims or giving incorrect information are among the operations that the TBI says could be used to tackle the OCGs. 

‘One of our recommendations is for countries that are aligned in values and have a history of intelligence sharing and suffer from these types of crime to put their resources together and really go after these groups and the intersection of organised crime,’ Iosad said. 

‘For example, with people trafficking, you have people being smuggled out of one country and being put into modern slavery to run fraudulent activity in another, such as text messaging scams targeted at people in the UK.

‘The model that we propose would be more targeted and focused in understanding the connections between the different types of crime.’ 

Iosad cited figures showing that an estimated $3.1 trillion in illicit funds moved through the global financial system in 2023, with drug trafficking and human exploitation among the most lucrative markets.  

Evidence from a joint international police operation against the West African Black Axe criminal network (Picture: Interpol)

Tackling the colossal scale of international crime would involve taskforces between the countries and private sector expertise, he said.  

The alliance would also throw its combined weight behind internationalised sanctions to freeze assets and block access to financial, education and residency systems.    

Iosad told Metro that while the landscape of international crime is highly complex, the consequences are being felt on British streets.  

The proposed international crime-fighting alliance would be able to tackle the latest threats according to a blueprint by the Tony Blair Institute (Picture: Getty Images)

‘Information can be shared around connections between different types of crime so people better understand why, for example, to stop fraud in the UK you might need to go after people smuggling in south-east Asia,’ he said. ‘Crime on our streets has its roots outside the UK; this is not neighbourhood policing any more.

‘Our polling last year showed that 84% of the public see organised crime as a national threat that should be put on a par with terrorism. 

‘If we don’t tackle the roots of organised crime it will continue to make our streets less safe, and this can only be done through an international approach.’ 

Sir Stephen Kavanagh, former executive director of police services at INTERPOL warns in a paper released by the TBI today that the current approach to organised crime is ‘linear, dated and fragmented’. 

He said ‘My time at INTERPOL fundamentally changed not just the way I see crime but the way I see the business models behind that crime.

‘Whether it was the fallout of the Afghan government’s collapse on drug flows and human trafficking, or the levels of sophistication, reach and ruthlessness of West African organised crime groups, the conclusion was the same: the criminal threats have moved on, and we haven’t.  

‘It is time for a new mindset: one that treats data and computing power as strategic assets, accepts disruption as vital tools, and one that is willing to experiment with new institutional models that break with convention.’