In its 2018 annual report, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) presents the key results of its work throughout the period, including in the areas of combating money laundering and cybercrime.
Cybercrime
Cybercrime is a truly borderless crime, and fighting it requires a coordinated global response.
UNODC supports Member States to prevent and combat cybercrime through intergovernmental processes, supporting the drafting of legislation, and delivering training and capacity building around the world.
In 2018:
- 48 countries received capacity building and technical assistance on cybercrime.
- Over 1,000 practitioners were trained on cybercrime and over 300 teachers trained on cybercrime prevention.
- Over 19,000 children, students and parents were given cybercrime prevention awareness workshops.
Furthermore, the UNODC:
- Strengthened law enforcement institutions – e.g. supporting the Honduran National Police in creating a cybercrime unit.
- Implemented a model for national cybercrime roundtable discussions in each country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
- Supported cryptocurrency legislation and policy development among ASEAN countries through this framework, including addressing their potential use for money laundering, terrorist financing and other criminal purposes.
Money laundering, proceeds of crime and terrorism financing
In 2018, UNODC helped Member States:
- Improve their tools for bilateral/multilateral cooperation against money laundering and terrorism financing.
- Implement UN conventions and international standards for anti-money laundering and the counter-financing of terrorism.
- Prevent and suppress illicit financial flows from drugs and crime.
For example, in 2018, property worth more than USD 500 million was restrained. This value rose from some USD 76 million in 2017.
Innovative counter-financing of terrorism courses were delivered, providing law enforcement officers with specialised skills to combat terrorist organisations. This involves using financial information to build an understanding of terrorist suspects’ patterns of life and sources of financing to shut down their organisations and prevent terrorist activities.
