International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime

  The militant Islamist group al-Shabaab has long remained influential in Mogadishu through its sophisticated extortion system, which demands zakat payments —forced charitable tax— and levies on trade and real estate transactions. The group reportedly generates over US$100 million annually, with an estimated one-third of its revenue derived from Mogadishu alone. The report highlights urgent gaps in Anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) enforcement . While Somalia introduced its first domestic sanctions list in 2024, poor compliance and lack of institutional capacity continue to hinder impact. Recommendations include enhanced AML/CFT training for non-financial sectors, incentives for compliance, biometric ID enrolment, and smarter sanctions enforcement through international collaboration.

  Exploring the complex world of illicit trade and the future of geopolitics and global supply chains . Organized by the University of Groningen in collaboration with the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), and hosted by CSDS at the VUB, the Summer School on Illicit Trade offers a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of this pressing global issue and explore strategies for combating it. Immerse yourself into the multifaceted realm of illicit trade through our comprehensive one-week course set to take place at the prestigious VUB from 7-11 July 2025.

Criminals exploit crypto , shell companies and decentralized finance to move money invisibly across borders. Professional laundering services – yes, that’s a thing – help criminal networks hide their illicit gains and bypass regulations using mixers, privacy coins and layered transactions. Money laundering is the illegal process of concealing the origins of illegally obtained money (often called "dirty money") so that it appears to have come from legitimate sources. This process is crucial for criminals because it allows them to use their illicit profits without attracting attention from law enforcement or tax authorities, effectively making the "dirty money" seem "clean". The Three Stages of Money Laundering: The process typically involves three distinct stages, though they may be combined or repeated depending on the scheme:  Placement : The initial step where illicit funds are furtively introduced into the legitimate financial system. This might invol...