COVID-19 fuels transnational organised crime
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have enabled transnational organised crime syndicates to scale up their illicit operations in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The obervation was made by Director of Politics, Defence and Security Affairs, Jorge Cardoso speaking on behalf of the executive Secretary at the ongoing SADC chiefs of police sub-committee of the Inter-State Defence and Security meeting at Avani Hotel in Gaborone. Cardoso said the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spawn operational challenges on both national and regional policing terrains. He stated that similarly, criminal syndicates are abusing the cyber space and taking advantage of COVID-19 to propagate cyber crime, something that poses a great threat to the region’s socio-economic development, security and stability.
“This calls for member states to be innovative and embrace technology to enhance the fight against cyber crime. It is also disheartening to note that Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) has indeed registered a huge increase compromising fundamental human rights. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by SGBV as they continue to face the brunt of this social scourge, especially during Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
He said accordingly, collaborative efforts are required to combat this heinous crime especially through capacitating police officers to competently prevent, investigate and detect SGBV and related crimes.
Cardoso said it was pleasing to note that the meeting will receive the draft SARPCCO Women Strategic Plan 2021-2025 for consideration. He further stated that the effective operationalisation of the plan will enhance concerted efforts to combat SGBV in the region.
However, he revealed that several regional instruments have been developed to heighten the fight against transnational organised crime including amongst others the draft strategy and action plan to prevent and combat transnational organised crime. Cardoso said there is also the draft regional strategy and action plan to prevent and combat illicit firearms, ammunition and other related materials in the region. “There is also the draft protocol against trafficking in persons. Another instrument in place is, reviewed and harmonised training modules on SARPCCO cyber crime investigators course and small arms, light weapons and Interpol illicit arms record management system. Additionally, is the draft assessment report and its recommendations in response to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on crime threats and police,” Cardoso said. Furthermore, he said the threat of terrorism continues to escalate in the region, with the continued killings of innocent civilians and destruction of property. “We have seen it over the years in the eastern DRC and more recently in the Cabo Delgabo Province, in northern of Mozambique. However, I am pleased to highlight that the State Security Sub Committee (SSSC) meeting of April 2021, recommended establishment of the SADC regional counter-terrorism centre. This is a welcome development because we need to find a common ground as a region in our enduring endeavours to combat terrorism,” he said.
Sharing the same sentiments when officially opening the meeting, the Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Kagiso Mmusi said the police sector still faces numerous challenges in some crime arrangements including cyber crime, financial and hi-tech crime, money laundering, cash in transit heist, transnational criminal activities to mention but a few. He stated that failure to address and deal with emerging high tech crimes come with a huge risk of economic loss to the region.
“I urge the police chiefs to introspect on the challenges which seek to diminish the achievements and strides made in combating regional crime and be fully conscious that the policing landscape keeps changing. You need to embrace information sharing, well coordinated inter-agency operations and collaborate even more while at the same time employing new strategies and configuring training needs that recognise your challenges in the fight against all forms of transnational crimes, “he said. Mmusi further stated that the success of policing requires new perspectives and measurements in areas of research, intelligence, crime mapping and analysis.