War in Ukraine, in addition to causing suffering to the local population, has also led to a significant increase in organized crime, which also includes trading in weapons. Criminal groups change their business models in an effort to adapt to a war that has increased the number of displaced persons, the risk of trafficking in human beings and demand for synthetic opia. This stems from the UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which warns that this development may also have the consequences for the restoration of Ukraine, TASR reports.
The report published on Friday dealt with the structures of organized crime and their development, as well as five types of crime – drug trade and their production, Internet fraud, arms trade, economic crime, trade in human beings and facilitating illegal leaving the country and avoiding levies.
Drug smuggling has been reduced
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion more than three years ago drastically reduced smuggling of cocaine and heroin through Ukraine, partly due to the closure of all airports and naval ports and four times the increase in heroin prices in 2022. The report states that most of the methadone produced in Ukraine is not carried out from it, as a result of the growing domestic demand for this drug and the closure of the borders.
The market for this kind of opiates is dominated by large and organized criminal groups, such as Chimprom, which also operates in Russia and which has also begun to commit cyber fraud. Their number in 2023 compared to 2022 more than tripled. It is estimated to be made through 1500 telephone centers, which are located throughout Ukraine. Most of the victims are its citizens, including those who were forcibly displaced. Occasionally, people in other parts of Europe are also the target of fraud.
Availability of weapons has increased the states of violence
The Russian-Ukrainian conflict also increased the availability of weapons, leading to an increase in the number of seized pieces and violence among civilians, especially in households and partner relationships. For now, according to the report, there is no evidence of possible extensive trading in weapons outside Ukraine.
Approximately one third of the Ukrainian population – 14 million people – was forced to leave their homes. UNODC warns that displacement can increase people’s vulnerability against trading. Some criminal groups in Ukraine are abusing its population to take advantage of social subsidies intended for internally displaced persons and refugees. Others are attracted to accommodation facilities issued as humanitarian aid providers, where they are then exposed to forced work.
More intensive patrol on the Ukrainian border and almost complete closure of the Eastern and northeastern borders limited the smuggling of migrants through Ukraine. Drápraviho re -oriented their activities to help Ukrainian men fleeing from the country before levy to the army.
Smugglers are falsifying customs declarations
Customs and tobacco smuggling are also a problem, as smugglers avoid customs declarations or falsify them, as a result of which Ukraine can lose hundreds of millions of dollars.
“The war caused not only unspeakable suffering to the Ukrainian people, but also caused a significant development of organized crime, which may have profound consequences for the country’s journey to restoration,” said Angela Meová, head of the UNODC Research and Analysis Department.
Among other things, the UN Office recommends the establishment of a centralized monitoring system and analytical intelligence capacities for the prevention of organized crime, which strengthening the framework of border controls.
