An Introduction to Human Trafficking - United Nations Office on ...

PART TWO.—IMPACT
fraud, ex<strong>to</strong>rtion, racketeering, money-laundering, bribery of public officials, drug use, document
forgery and gambling. 57
Of a global sample of 40 organized criminal groups surveyed by the <strong>United</strong> <strong>Nations</strong> <strong>Office</strong>
on Drugs and Crime in 2002, 8 were found <strong>to</strong> be involved in human trafficking activities,
with 2 almost exclusively involved in human trafficking and the remaining 6 including
human trafficking as one of a number of diversified criminal activities undertaken by the
group. 58 In 50 per cent of human trafficking cases in one destination country, the
perpetra<strong>to</strong>rs were also engaged in illegal trade in drugs or arms. 59 Links <strong>to</strong> other global
criminal activities make human trafficking more profitable, as groups are able <strong>to</strong> use the
safe and tested routes and work through known corrupt officials.
<strong>Human</strong> trafficking crimes are also closely integrated in<strong>to</strong> legal business interests such as
<strong>to</strong>urism, employment or recruitment agencies, agriculture, hotel and airline operations, and
leisure and entertainment businesses. 60 Criminal organizations may hide the traces of their
illegal activities by directly and indirectly investing their profits in legitimate financial
institutions. 61 Although some businesses are simply established <strong>to</strong> launder money and not
necessarily <strong>to</strong> make profits, this practice may in turn have a negative impact on the
economy, as legitimate businesses may find themselves having <strong>to</strong> compete against enterprises
being secretly or unknowingly subsidised by laundered proceeds of crime or
supported by the exploitation of trafficked persons. Fair competition may also be affected
when exploited trafficked persons have been used further down the supply chain <strong>to</strong>
produce materials such as textiles. 62
The most visible impact of the profits of organized crime associated with human trafficking
in destination countries is trafficking for sexual exploitation within the commercial sex
trade. 63 Well-established domestic organized criminal groups often engage in the sex trade
and cheap labour markets with foreign counterparts. 64 Prostituted women have been known
<strong>to</strong> be used as drug smugglers/couriers and dealers. 65 These crimes, combined with the
movements of illicit profits made by the sex industry, estimated <strong>to</strong> be between $7 and
$12 billion annually, 66 have a significant impact on economic stability and security, human
rights and law enforcement and crime control.
57
James O. Finckenauer and Jennifer Schrock, “<strong>Human</strong> trafficking: a growing criminal market in the U.S”
(see www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/international/ht.html).
58
<strong>United</strong> <strong>Nations</strong> <strong>Office</strong> on Drugs and Crime, <strong>Trafficking</strong> in Persons: Global Patterns (Vienna, <strong>United</strong> <strong>Nations</strong>,
2006), p. 69.
59
William Hill, “<strong>Trafficking</strong> in human beings: who does it hurt, and why should we care?”, article on the
mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe <strong>to</strong> Moldova, 17 November 2003
(see www.osce.org/documents/mm/2003/11/1219_en.pdf).
60
Aurora Javate De Dios, “Macro-economic exploitation and their(sic) impact on sexual exploitation and trafficking
of women and girls: issues, responses and challenges” (see www.catw-ap.org/macro.htm).
61
John R. Wagley, Transnational Organized Crime: Principal Threats and U.S. Responses, Congressional Research
Service report for Congress, Library of Congress, 20 March 2006, p. 10 (see www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33335.pdf).
62
<strong>United</strong> States of America, Department of State, <strong>Trafficking</strong> in Persons Report: June 2006 (<strong>Office</strong> <strong>to</strong> Moni<strong>to</strong>r and
Combat <strong>Trafficking</strong> in Persons, 2006) (see http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2006/65983.htm).
63
Lisa L. Thompson, “The sexual gulag: profiteering from the global commercial sexual exploitation of women
and children”, testimony before the Financial Services Committee, <strong>United</strong> States House of Representatives,
22 June 2005, p. 12 (see http://financialservices.house.gov/media/pdf/062205lt.pdf).
64
“Organised Crime and Law Enforcement in Europe: women trafficked for prostitution”,
(see http://www.organisedcrime.info/index.php?mode=12&id=5).
65
Sami Nevala and Kauko Aromaa, eds., Organised Crime, <strong>Trafficking</strong>, Drugs: Selected Papers Presented at the <strong>An</strong>nual
Conference of the European Society of Criminology Helsinki 2003, HEUNI Publication Series, No. 42 (Helsinki, 2004), p.
123 (see http://www.heuni.fi/uploads/v2t9skuki.pdf).
66
Thompson, op. cit., p. 4.
97