Criminal Innovation and Illicit Global Markets: Transnational Crime in Asia

The size and reach of the market in illicit products and services reflect patterns of globalization, economic growth, and armed conflict as well as government and civil society responses to the impacts of these markets. In Asia, these illicit markets have grown rapidly with the opening up of trade and development of China, India and ASEAN boosted by infrastructure development and increased wealth. Traditional crime groups have re-vitalized and new entrepreneurial crime groups have emerged to capitalise on the illicit market opportunities contributing to a surge in the distribution and the use of narcotics as well as other contraband (i.e. counterfeit products and medicines, timber, exotic species, e-waste, weapons, labour trafficking) in Asia and worldwide. These developments have triggered extreme responses, such as Philippines President Dutertes bloody war on drugs.