Organized crime gangs in Southeast Asia grow networks through innovative use of technology

Criminal networks in Southeast Asia are growing their illegal operations in through the innovative use of technology, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The trafficking of people and drugs as well as money laundering and fraudulent scam activities are being boosted by the use of cryptocurrencies, the dark web, artificial intelligence and social media platforms, as criminals continue to base their operations in parts of the region where the rule of law is weak or non-existent. 

Laura Gil asked UNODC Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Jeremy Douglas, how the landscape of transnational organized crime in the region is being changed by technology.