NCJ Number
167537
Date Published
1997
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This report presents an overview of the nature and extent of the international smuggling of stolen motor vehicles, the opinions of the governments of 27 countries regarding how to address the problem, and recent initiatives to strengthen international cooperation against this form of crime.
Abstract
The analysis revealed that organized transnational crime groups are becoming increasingly involved in illicit trafficking in motor vehicles. Factors facilitating this crime include insufficient cooperation among police agencies, lack of appropriate controls prior to the registration of a motor vehicle, corruption, legislative discrepancies, varied vehicle registration practices, and differences in the level of training of vehicle inspectors. Countries and have taken a variety of actions to address the problem. The Commonwealth of Independent States, member countries of the European Union, the International Criminal Police Organization, the Organization of American States, the Organization of African Unity, the Economic Commission for Europe the Australian Institute of Criminology, and the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control have also initiated actions in this area. The conference on Theft of and Illicit Trafficking in Motor Vehicles, held in Warsaw, Poland in December 1996, also produced recommendations. Appended report of the conference