Incheon (Republic of Korea), 31 August 2023 - Transnational crime has incorporated new technologies to become more secretive, nimbly crossing the countries’ borders. Maritime crime has not remained immune to the transformative effects of new technologies and evolving criminal tactics. As international crimes continue to adapt and evolve, they have leveraged these technological advancements to operate with heightened secrecy and agility. To combat maritime crimes such as illegal smuggling, piracy, human trafficking, or illicit resource extraction, the convergence of technology and criminal enterprise necessitates a united front of maritime law enforcement agencies to keep pace with evolving criminal methods.
After the success of the first Conference in 2022, the Second Transnational Maritime Crime Response Conference was organized on Thursday 31 August 2023. The Conference set a platform for discussions among relevant organizations on transnational crimes, future directions of improving systems and policies, ways to promote international coordination and cooperation. The conference took place in Central Park Hotel Songdo, in Incheon, Republic of Korea. It was composed of the following sessions: international cooperation, drugs, and technology protection.
David Ravaux, Methodology Officer from the Center of Excellence presented about “Trafficking in Persons in the Fishing Industry: High-quality data for a more effective combat strategy”. It showed the main trends of trafficking in persons in Asia-Pacific, its relation with the fishing industry in the region, as well as the methods to combat this crime with high-quality data and innovative statistical approaches. The CoE reiterated its support to member states to enhance the quality and quantity of crime and criminal justice statistics in the Asia-Pacific region by providing technical assistance based on international standardized methodologies.
The Conference was attended by over 120 participants from a total of 20 agencies, including overseas agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Japan Coast Guard, as well as the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Defense Intelligence Command, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, the National Police Agency, and the Korea Customs Service.
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