Crime Spot - Your Podcast on Organized Crime

In this episode, we discuss a case of falsified medical products with Hugo Bonar, who worked for the Health Products Regulatory Authority (formerly known as the Irish Medicines Board).  Crime Spot is hosted by Esther and Felix. Useful links relevant to this episode: Previous episode on this topic "The Rise of the Parallel Pandemic" Read the case analysis Combating Falsified Medical Product-related Crime, UNODC Medicrime convention, Council of Europe Substandard and falsified medical products - Key facts, WHO Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 | @UNODC_SHERLOC | Instagram: crime_spot Contact us: Crime Spot: understandingoc@gmail.com Disclaimer The views expressed in this podcast series are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations.

In this special episode, Crime Spot and SHERLOC welcome Dr. Annette Hübschle to talk about rhino poaching and the illegal trade in their horn. Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 | @UNODC_SHERLOC | @AHuebschle | Instagram: crime_spot  Contact us: Crime Spot: understandingoc@gmail.com Learn more about Dr. Hübschle: Profile Publications Check out another podcast episode with Dr. Hübschle and UNODC Find her publications and other research on SHERLOC’s bibliographic database Check out our previous episode on green militarization: "Forest Becomes Frontline with Dr. Anwesha Dutta" Disclaimer The views expressed in this podcast series are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations.

In this episode, Crime Spot talks to Marcus Asner who investigated one of the largest fisheries crime cases in recent years.  Marcus shares his investigative insights and explains how to catch a wildlife thief. Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 | @UNODC_SHERLOC | Instagram: crime_spot Contact us: Crime Spot: understandingoc@gmail.com Time stamps for this episode: 02:08 Introduction Marcus Asner & his work on 10:10 The scheme 25:00 The demand side 36:15 The investigation and prosecution 49:34 Charges and sentencing 58:44 Main takeaways Learn more about the case: US v Bengis and others  Read Marcus’ publication: To catch a wildlife thief: Strategies and suggestions for the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking Check out our previous episode on fisheries crime: “Organized Crime on Our Oceans with Ian Urbina” and “Fishing for Crime with Lejda Toci from UNODC” Disclaimer The views expressed in this podcast series are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations.

“The game is afoot!” (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) – welcome to Crime Spot season 2, everyone! Throughout the upcoming episodes, we will cooperate with SHERLOC, the knowledge management portal of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Across five databases, SHERLOC collects resources on transnational organized crime. It is free to use and open access, check it out under https://sherloc.unodc.org. Crime Spot is hosted by Esther and Felix. You will notice Esther is missing during the first episodes - but no worries she will return :-) Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 | @UNODC_SHERLOC | Instagram: crime_spot Contact us: Crime Spot: understandingoc@gmail.com Disclaimer The views expressed in this podcast series are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations.

In today’s episode, investigative journalist Ottavia Spaggiari joins Esther and Felix to talk about sex trafficking from Nigeria to Europe. ** Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 | Instagram: crime_spot ** Follow Ottavia on twitter: @OttaviaS and check out her article at www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/27/nigeria-italy-human-trafficking-sex-workers-exploitation-justice  ** UNODC (2020), Global Report on Trafficking in Persons: www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/tip/2021/GLOTiP_2020_15jan_web.pdf  ** Deutsche Welle (2020), Documentary - Sex trafficking in Nigeria: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtNixlubgSo ** Another documentary on the topic worth watching: Joy (2018): www.imdb.com/title/tt8917752/ **

In today’s special episodes on crimes on our oceans, Esther and Felix discuss modern-day piracy in Western Africa with Dr. Dirk Siebels, maritime security expert. ** Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 | Instagram: crime_spot ** Follow Dirk on twitter: @DirkSiebels and check out his work at www.dirksiebels.eu ** Read Dirk’s book: “Maritime Security in East and West Africa: A Tale of Two Regions” ** Case mentioned by Dirk: “The Enrica Lexie Incident” https://pca-cpa.org/en/cases/117/ ** Music: The Thunder from Dave Mak and Ian Urbina | SSS Pursuit from Doctor Flake and Ian Urbina ** Check out the Outlaw Ocean Music Project at www.theoutlawoceanmusic.com **

*** In this episode, Esther and Felix explore the use of military approaches to implement conservation measures, so-called Green Militarization. Special guest of this episode, Dr. Anwesha Dutta, talks about her recent article and how Green Militarization overlaps with counter-insurgency efforts. *** Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 | Instagram: crime_spot *** Follow Anwesha on twitter: @anweshadatta and check out her work at www.cmi.no/staff/anwesha-dutta *** Read Anwesha's article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0962629819300460 *** Not directly related, but you may also enjoy reading George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" https://www.orwell.ru/library/articles/elephant/english/e_eleph 

*** This episode continues the series of episodes dedicated to organized crime on our oceans. Today, Esther and Felix look at cocaine smuggled via maritime routes and how it moves through Europe’s largest port, the port of Rotterdam. For that, they talk to Dr. Lieselot Bisschop, Associate Professor at the Erasmus School of Law (Erasmus University Rotterdam). *** Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 | Instagram: crime_spot *** Follow Lieselot on twitter: @Lieselot_B and check out her work at www.eur.nl/en/people/lieselot-bisschop *** Music used in this episode: “The Next Frontier” by Ancient Astronauts & Ian Urbina / “Riders of Lost Arks Pt. 1” by Alec Troniq & Ian Urbina *** Check out the Outlaw Ocean Music Project at www.theoutlawoceanmusic.com/ *** Sources used in this episode include: “Getting a foot in the door. Spaces of cocaine trafficking in the Port of Rotterdam.” www.researchgate.net/publication/346132754_Getting_a_foot_in_the_door_Spaces_of_cocaine_trafficking_in_the_Port_of_Rotterdam | “Record Cocaine Haul at Belgium Port Uncovers Police Corruption” https://www.insightcrime.org/news/analysis/belgium-cocaine-seizure-corruption/ | “World Drug Report - 2020” https://wdr.unodc.org/wdr2020/index.html ***

In this second episode of the special series on organized crime on our oceans, Esther and Felix are joined by Lejda Toci, fisheries crime focal point from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Together, they discuss fisheries crime, other types of criminalities within the fisheries industry and map out the fisheries value chain. Follow Lejda Toci on Twitter: @LejdaToci Music: ** "Hunting The Hunters" by Ancient Astronauts & Ian Urbina ** "Riders Of Lost Arks Pt. 2" by Alec Troniq & Ian Urbina Sources for this episode include: ** www.fao.org/state-of-fisheries-aquaculture ** www.fao.org/iuu-fishing/background/links-between-iuu-fishing-and-other-crimes/en/ ** www.fao.org/iuu-fishing/background/what-is-iuu-fishing/en/  ** www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/oceans-and-law-sea/   ** www.unodc.org/documents/Rotten_Fish.pdf  ** Kindly note that a short paragraph on the nexus between fisheries crime and tax crime was obtained from the following UNODC report: www.unodc.org/documents/about-unodc/Campaigns/Fisheries/focus_sheet_PRINT.pdf ** www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Issue_Paper_-_TOC_in_the_Fishing_Industry.pdf ** www.unodc.org/documents/organized-crime/GPTOC/Issue_Paper_-_TOC_at_Sea.pdf ** www.worldwildlife.org/stories/how-climate-change-relates-to-oceans ** www.theoutlawocean.com

*** Time stamps for this episode: Interview with Ian Urbina 05:30 - 52:45 *** This episode kicks off a series of episodes dedicated to organized crime on our oceans. Esther and Felix talk to Ian Urbina, investigative journalist, Pulitzer prize winner and former New York Times writer. Ian is the author of the book The Outlaw Ocean and has launched a reporting project under the same name, including the Outlaw Ocean Music Project. “Traffickers and smugglers, pirates and mercenaries, wreck thieves and repo men, vigilante conservationists and elusive poachers, seabound abortion providers, clandestine oil-dumpers, shackled slaves and cast-adrift stowaways — drawing on five years of perilous and intrepid reporting, often hundreds of miles from shore, Ian Urbina introduces us to the inhabitants of this hidden world. Through their stories of astonishing courage and brutality, survival and tragedy, he uncovers a globe-spanning network of crime and exploitation that emanates from the fishing, oil and shipping industries, and on which the world’s economies rely.” *** Check out Ian’s reporting project: https://www.theoutlawocean.com/ *** Support investigative journalism on our oceans: https://www.theoutlawocean.com/donate/ *** Music used in this episode: “Hope and Despair (Instrumental)” by Behind Clouds & Ian Urbina / “Try To Boil The Ocean” by Alec Troniq & Ian Urbina ***

To commemorate Global Tiger Day, Esther and Felix look into the illegal trade in tigers and shed light on issues previously unaddressed by a certain Netflix documentary. Sources for this episode include: ** BIg Cat Public Safety Act: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1380 ** Global/International Tiger Day: https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/international-tiger-day-2020/  ** Tiger King Netflix Series: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11823076/ ** Tiger King Court Case Files:  https://sherloc.unodc.org/cld/case-law-doc/wildlifecrimetype/usa/2019/united_states_of_america_v._maldonado-passage_no._cr-18-227-slp_w.d._okla._jan._22_2020.html?lng=en&tmpl=sherloc ** National Geographic Sources: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/11/tigers-in-the-united-states-outnumber-those-in-the-wild-feature/ - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/03/captive-tigers-joe-exotic-tiger-king/ - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/02/wildlife-watch-tiger-temple-monks-trafficking-zoo/ - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/07/wildlife-watch-news-captive-tiger-farms-trafficking-investigation-vietnam-laos/ ** World Wildlife Crime Report: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/wildlife.html

“The Rise of the Parallel Pandemic” explores the growth of the global trade in counterfeit products amid the COVID-19 crisis. Organized crime groups are capitalizing on fear, supply shortages & growing demand to sell their products & expand their influence in existing and emerging consumer markets. Now more than ever, it is important to understand the health, societal & economic risks posed by consuming illicit medical products. Sources for “The Rise of the Parellel Pandemic” include: ** Anastasia Austin, “4 Ways Microtraffickers are Getting Around Coronavirus Restrictions”, Insight Crime, 12 June 2020,  https://www.insightcrime.org/news/analysis/microtrafficking-coronavirus-restrictions/ ** “Fake medicines can be counterfeit, contaminated or mislabelled. Don’t take the chance.”, Interpol,  https://www.interpol.int/en/Crimes/Illicit-goods/Shop-safely/Fake-medicines ** “Global operation sees a rise in fake medical products related to COVID-19”, Interpol, 19 March 2020,  https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2020/Global-operation-sees-a-rise-in-fake-medical-products-related-to-COVID-19 ** Sam Piranty, “Coronavirus fuels a surge in fake medicines”, BBC, 9 April 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52201077 ** Jay Kennedy, “Buyer beware: Counterfeit markets can flourish during a public health crisis”, The Conversation, 26 March 2020,  https://theconversation.com/buyer-beware-counterfeit-markets-can-flourish-during-a-public-health-crisis-134492 ** Mimi Yagoub, “Colombia Busts Fake Medicine Ring Worth Millions”, Insight Crime, 28 July 2016,  https://www.insightcrime.org/news/brief/colombia-busts-fake-medicine-ring-worth-millions/ **OECD/EUIPO (2020), “Trade in Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Products”, Illicit Trade, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/a7c7e054-en ** Tom Kington, “Patients die as Sicilian mafia buys into the hospital service”, The Guardian, 1 January 2007, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/jan/01/italy.mainsection ** “WHO Global Surveillance & Monitoring System for Substandard and Falsified Products”, World Health Organization, 2017  https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/326708/9789241513425-eng.pdf?ua=1 ** Zachary Goodwin, “Brazil Smuggles In Hydroxychloroquine Amid Coronavirus Despair”, Insight Crime, 4 June 2020,  https://www.insightcrime.org/news/brief/brazil-coronavirus-hydroxychloroquine/ **  And on last week’s episode: Rafi Letzter, “The coronavirus didn't really start at that Wuhan 'wet market'”, Live Science, May 2020, https://www.livescience.com/covid-19-did-not-start-at-wuhan-wet-market.html

Today on Crime Spot,  Esther and Felix are joined by Damien Wolff. Together, they explore the role played by the illicit wildlife trade in the outbreak of COVID-19. Episode recorded on 13 May 2020.

About the episode In this episode, Esther and Felix welcome Antony Loewenstein to talk about his recent book "Pills, Powder, and Smoke - Inside the Bloody War on Drugs". His book looks into the genesis, implementation and consequences of anti-drug policies, challenging binary narratives opposing legal and illegal markets; organized crime groups versus states. Loewenstein calls into question the actual benefactors of the war on drugs and brings to light its financial and human costs in source, transit and destination countries. Find the show notes for this episode below. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed during the interview do not necessarily represent the views and opinions by Crime Spot or its producers. Announcements We will be live during the 24h Conference on Global Organized Crime. Join in on November 10th at 23:00 CET  using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86425325569?pwd=YlQrcmNJdUtMRDkwTkxDVkp2NFErUT09  Visit our side event's page: https://oc24.globalinitiative.net/7b/   Consider registering to have easy access to all events: https://globalinitiative.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=20fc3a88aae0aae0b70890bb0&id=bde6fcb818  Website of the conference: https://oc24.globalinitiative.net/ Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 Instagram: crime_spot Show notes About: Antony Official website: https://antonyloewenstein.com/ Twitter: @antloewenstein Book: Pills, Powder and Smoke: Inside the Bloody War on Drugs