Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/256661 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Series/Report no.: 
SWP Comment No. 66/2020
Publisher: 
Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), Berlin
Abstract: 
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, certain illegal business practices, such as the trade in counterfeit medical products, have been experiencing a boom. Other typical sources of income for organised crime (OC) temporarily dried up due to lockdowns, travel restrictions and border closures. With the changing infection dynamics and increasingly localised countermeasures, the situation has demanded constant adaptation from many businesses - and criminal organisations are no exception. The effects of the pandemic on OC are not only short-lived, however: the economic, social and political consequences can also impact OC in the medium term. In addition to shifts in illegal (drug) markets, the potential for criminal exploitation could increase as a result of the health crisis and the influence of criminal groups on the state and society could grow. Some of these developments are already visible. The associated risks require increased scrutiny by political decision-makers and law enforcement agencies and more targeted international cooperation.
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Research Report

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