ChongHock LEE – Ambassador of Singapore to Germany – Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore | LinkedIn (original) (raw)

Upcoming New Book Alert: For colleagues and followers interested in our TraCCC-AITI Hubs of Illicit Trade (HIT) project, I want to bring attention that our latest research will be available, as an e-book (first) published by Routledge (London) - for pre-order on September 9, 2024, and shipped on 29 September 2024 at: https://lnkd.in/ejB7MVip. ISBN 9781032796420 This book, expertly edited by our colleague, Dr. Yulia Krylova, meticulously examines how centers of illicit trade pose myriad interconnected threats to global security, markets, sustainable development, and the public health and safety of communities around. The innovative research also provides a multi-dimensional approach for cross-hub comparisons, measuring the scale of their illicit activities based the assessment of #illicittrade risk levels that combines indicators related to all aspects of illicit trade, including #corruption in the private and public sectors, #moneylaundering, and financial secrecy, among other dimensions. These hubs also serve as safe havens for smugglers and their accomplices, fostering a criminal ecosystem that facilitates the convergence of various criminal activities. The book underscores the detrimental impact of poorly regulated international #freetradezones, which prioritize expediency over security, thereby allowing illicit trade to flourish in regions characterized by opaque governance and lax regulatory oversight. It comprehensively explores the spectrum of illicit trade present in notorious hubs such as the #Argentina #Brazil #Paraguay Tri-Border Area, #Dubai, #Panama, #Belize, #Guatemala, and #Ukraine. Emphasizing the phenomenon of crime convergence associated with these hubs, the book offers actionable recommendations for disrupting their interconnected illicit #supplychains, infrastructures, and networks. By addressing the illicit economies, the book fills a critical void in understanding how vulnerabilities within the global economy fuel the creation of illicit trade hubs. It will be of great value to researchers in the fields of #trade, economics, #criminology, and international development. It will also be an excellent resource for government agencies, policymakers, and private-sector managers in those industries most affected by the growing problem of illicit trade. Co-Authors: Louise Shelley, Yulia Krylova, Jorge Lasmar, PhD, Dr Rashmi Singh, Alexander Kupatadze, Daniel Rico, and David M. Luna 🦏 🌎 🐘 Threat Convergence ≜ Kine-Dynamics. As the Co-Director of TraCCC-AITI with Dr. Shelley, I am very proud of our project team leaders who worked on the HIT project; and an honor to write Chapter 6 with Dr. Krylova on "Conclusions: Disrupting Hubs of Illicit Trade". Also make sure to follow us at: Terrorism, Transnational Crime, and Corruption Center (TraCCC) Anti-Illicit Trade Institute (AITI), Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) George Mason University at: https://lnkd.in/eAuvGhKt