One of the biggest challenges in countering serious and organized crime is its fluid dimensions, which are increasingly shifting and expanding in scope. For many law enforcement and other security organizations, one leading concern right now is the massive spread of OCGs not only geographically, but also in terms of the types of crimes they commit. THE CURRENT SPREAD OF SERIOUS AND ORGANIZED CRIME 25 https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2018/Transnational-crime-converging-across-Africa-INTERPOL 26 https://clubofmozambique.com/news/mozambique-fuminho-controlled-the-local-and-south-african-drug-market-carta-157588/ 27 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-44102751 28 https://americasquarterly.org/article/the-threat-that-cannot-be-addressed-alone/ GEOGRAPHIC SPREAD When Brazilian PCC boss Fuminho was captured in Mozambique, it was revealed that he was merely using that country as a pipeline to channel cocaine throughout southern Africa. 26 This expansion into other countries of operation is increasingly common, though it did slow somewhat with COVID-19. Over 70% of OCGs are typically active in more than three countries, according to Europol, with three areas of particular mobility in OCGs including: As an example of the severity of these combined threats, in 2018, Interpol held a conference dedicated to the spread of serious and organized crime in Africa. Criminal activities, the key findings noted, comprised a breathtaking range of goods and services, from malware to fake medications, from human trafficking to illegal logging, all facilitated by geographic spread to other parts of the world, notably South America and Europe. 25 GEOGRAPHIC SPREAD Serious and organized crime previously limited to one area has spread into other areas of the world. POLY-CRIMINALITY Serious crime organizations are also spreading their activities into other types of crime, particularly cybercrime. Borders are no longer enough to contain these organizations. According to a 2021 report in Americas Quarterly, “[Transnational criminal organizations] respect no borders or rule of law and operate with agility and innovation.” 28 OCGs typically active in Eastern Europe are increasingly moving into Western Europe. For example, the UK, which has historically had a very low level of weapons violence, is now fighting against weapons smugglers from former Eastern Bloc countries and Russian money laundering. 27 From the extensive network uncovered when PCC leader Fuminho was taken down, it is clear that Latin American OCGs, of which PCC is the largest, are working hand- in-hand with and through groups in other nations to conduct their activities. Often overlooked when it comes to the geographic mobility of OCGs is transnational organized crime that takes place at sea, as seen with the illegal migration of the Rohingya people out of Myanmar; this also encompasses crimes against mobility, illicit flows, and environmental crimes. East-West and Cross-Europe OCGs. Latin American OCGs. Blue crime 11