NCJ Number
158491
Journal
Dickinson Journal of International Law Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: (Spring 1995) Pages: 623-648
Date Published
1995
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This article analyzes the past, present, and future existence of organized crime in Europe.
Abstract
Organized crime is growing at an exponential rate throughout the European Union. The fall of the Iron Curtain and the loosening of internal borders within the Union has resulted in a freer and more deregulated environment, which has created a breeding ground for organized crime syndicates and their illicit activities. Whereas, crimes were once limited to drug trafficking and money laundering, they have expanded to include the smuggling of cars and even human beings, as well as radioactive and nuclear materials trafficking. Criminal organizations are now able to exploit the open movement of people, products, and money through the use of advanced telecommunication systems and computer technology. Recent evidence shows that many international crime groups are collaborating with one another, making their networks diverse and crimes more difficult to detect. To defeat the organized crime problem, all members of the European Union must suppress the urge for national sovereignty and work toward a more secure union. True unification will require trust, dedication, and cooperation. Europol must be further empowered, and the Schengen Agreement must be expanded to allow the European Police to enter all Union jurisdictions to pursue and apprehend criminals. Countries must assist one another by using state-of- the-art technology to track complex organized crime activity. 205 footnotes