UNDOC calls for global cooperation against mushrooming crimes

VIENNA, May 19 (KUNA) -- Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Ghada Waly on Monday called on states of the globe to cooperate in the face of mushrooming organized crimes and terrorism Waly, in a statement inaugurating the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) 34th session, said the initiative, 80UN, launched by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guteress, aimed at "making a qualitative leap in the UN action efficiency." The world is witnessing mounting spread of violence, unrest and uncertainty, thus "a fertile environment" has emerged for the criminal and terrorist groups to thrive. These groups have been exploiting instability to expand their influence, infiltrating in regions of fragile security and expanding the illegal trade in manufactured drugs at an alarming level.
She asserted hazards resulting from crimes wrongly deemed as non-fatal, such as trafficking of cultral properties, trade in bogus goods notably fake medicines that kill around half a million people per year in Africa alone.
On environmental crimes, Waly warned against the illegal trade in wildlife, illegal gold mining, misuse of technology, artificial intelligence that has been exploited by criminal groups for recruiting, planning and money laundering, in addition to online child abuse and electronic fraud.
UNDOC had clamped down on 2,500 cases of illegal commodities, had 400 cases of investigation and judicial pursuit in human trade, immigrants trafficking, demolished 60 makeshift factorites for producing drugs in the Amazon, had cases of conviction in money laundering and terrorism funding in Somalia and the Mozambique, she said, revealing human trade in Pakistan rose by 52 percent in two years.
She called on the member states to support the UNDOC with action and funding for a more just and secure world. (pickup previous) amq.rk