Illegal Flows (DP IB Geography): Revision Note

Trafficked People

• Globalisation has given countries challenges in managing flows across its borders in a bid to allow goods to pass through quickly and efficiently

• One of these challenges is the illegal goods trade, where organised crime gangs move a commodity from origin to destination along established routes

• These flows have wide-ranging consequences, from damaging international security and relations to de-valuing currency and threatening the global economy

• Also called 'modern-day slavery', human trafficking is the illegal movement of people for exploitation and profit

• Human trafficking is a global problem that affects people of all ages

• It is estimated that over 1 million people are trafficked each year worldwide, and between 20,000 and 50,000 are trafficked into the United States, which is the largest destination for victims of the sex-trafficking trade

• Because of the 'hidden' nature of human trafficking, the actual number is unknown and is probably higher

Statistics

• According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), human trafficking globally generates an estimated 150 billion USD in profits every year

• Listed as the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world today, and second to the drug trade

• Every 30 seconds, a child is sold

• Trafficking can be domestic or international and about 60% of victims are international

• Women account for over half of those trafficked

• Frequently, victims come from poor countries and are exploited in rich countries

Counterfeit Goods

• According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the total value of counterfeit and pirated goods was around $2.8 trillion, costing 5.4 million jobs in 2022

• This is more than drugs and human trafficking combined

• COVID-19 lockdown saw an increase in online sale of counterfeit goods

  • This was due to the ease of opening one website when another was shut down through illegal trading

  • Evidence shows that online sales grew from 10% of retail sales to more than 30% during COVID

• Counterfeit goods are responsible for labour exploitation, environmental damage and health implications for consumers because of the use of poor-quality or dangerous materials, lack of quality control and technical training

• Also, there are links between counterfeit goods, money laundering, illicit drugs and corruption

• Corruption and bribery are linked when goods are transported internationally

• Economies suffer not only from the reduction in tax revenues but also from the increase in the cost of surveillance and policing

Flows of Drugs

• The flow of drugs and fraudulent medicines is a global issue

• Drug trafficking is a major trade

• It includes the cultivation (growing), manufacture, distribution and sale of substances that are prohibited by law

• Worth about $5 billion, the trade in fraudulent medicines is mostly from East Asia and the Pacific to Southeast Africa

• According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in developed countries, around 1% of total medical product sales involve counterfeit or substandard medicines

• In low- and middle-income countries, this share is much higher, reaching up to 30% of total sales

• According to a report by Global Financial Integrity (GFI), the estimated annual global value of the drug trafficking market is somewhere between $426 billion and $652 billion (USD)

• The true value of the global flow of drugs is unknown, as estimates only consider major drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, opiates and amphetamine-type stimulants

• It does not even include the ever-evolving world of new psychoactive substances (NPS)

• The largest producer of illegal drugs varies depending on the specific type of drug

  • Opium and heroin: Afghanistan is the world’s largest producer of illicit opiates

    • In 2020, they cultivated around 215,000 hectares of opium poppy

    • However, they are not a major supplier to the United States

  • Cocaine: Colombia produces 60% of the world’s cocaine, followed by Peru and Bolivia

• Bolivia also provides a transit hub for drug shipments from Peru

• Morocco is known for cannabis production

• Mexico and the Bahamas are involved in illicit drug production