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Human trafficking is a global crisis that generates an estimated $150 billion annually, with its roots entrenched in complex financial, political, and technological landscapes. Despite ongoing efforts to combat this human rights violation, trafficking persists due to a range of interconnected challenges, from robust financial networks that sustain traffickers to international rivalries that hinder cooperative responses. The COVID-19 pandemic further accentuated these vulnerabilities, creating a perfect storm for cybercriminals to exploit digital spaces. This article explores the financial aspects of human trafficking, the role of inter-governmental rivalry in impeding progress, and the evolving technological threats that facilitate organized crime. Additionally, insights from the FRS-Sciences Po Conference session "Bridging the Gap: Technologies and Organized Crime" shed light on the growing intersection of technology and trafficking. Financial Aspects of Human Trafficking Hu...

At the recent FRS-Sciences Po Conference on “Organized Crime and Geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific,” experts gathered to delve into the interconnected issues driving environmental and economic crimes in the region. As emphasized by key speakers such as Hugo Rodrigues, Louis Marechal, and Sarah Ferguson, the Asia-Pacific region is becoming increasingly vulnerable to environmental crime, with severe implications for local communities, ecosystems, and international regulatory standards. Asia is often seen as a “dumping ground” for waste from wealthier countries, exacerbating social inequality, environmental degradation, and vulnerability to organized criminal networks.  Asia as a Dumping Ground for Environmental Crimes One of the central concerns addressed at the conference was Asia’s role as an international repository for hazardous waste, often arriving illegally from wealthier nations and sometimes facilitated by multinational corporations that exploit legal loopholes or weak enforce...