New Strategy Against Transnational Crime

The Administration of President Barack Obama has released its new Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime. Its goal, said Assistant to the President for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security John Brennan, is to diminish the size, scope and influence of transnational organized crime and its impact on the United States, international security and governance.

"Transnational criminal networks have forged new and powerful alliances and are engaged in an unprecedented range of illicit activities that are destabilizing to nations and populations around the globe," said John Brennan at the new Strategy's launching ceremony on July 25th. By undermining legitimate competition and market integrity, and by stealing intellectual property, they are threatening the global economy. By providing funding and logistics to terrorist groups and insurgents, they threaten global security. Many deal in drug trafficking, which fuels the power, impunity and violence of criminal organizations internationally. Others are involved in human smuggling and trafficking-in-persons, a worldwide, ever more violent and lucrative scourge that preys on the most vulnerable among us, especially women and children.

"This is the threat that our strategy aims to address," said John Brennan.

To provide law enforcement with better tools to fight organized crime, President [Barack] Obama signed an executive order designed to block all assets and property under U.S. jurisdiction of designated major transnational organized crime organizations. He also signed a proclamation that will bar persons known to be involved in designated transnational crime organizations from entering the United States.

The proposed new Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program will offer cash rewards for cooperating with U.S. authorities to bring to justice the most dangerous transnational criminal leaders.

"Societies have faced criminal threats throughout human history. Today, however, we face them in a globalized, networked world," said Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns at the launching ceremony. "We are intensifying our efforts to build international consensus and improve multilateral cooperation to combat transnational crime, and are promoting more effective public-private partnerships. . . .

"The President’s strategy will build and integrate the tools of American power to combat transnational organized crime, while also recognizing that we cannot do it alone. The United States must continue to play a strong leadership role, together with committed partners, in mobilizing international resources to address emerging threats."