Illicit Economies and the Systems that Sustain Organized Crime

Transnational organized crime increasingly operates through economic, financial, commercial, and logistical systems that are also used by legitimate markets. This creates complex challenges for governments, parliaments, law enforcement agencies, regulators, customs authorities, financial intelligence units, and international partners. In this episode, Michael Bejos, Officer in Charge of the Department against Transnational Organized Crime of the OAS Secretariat for Multidimensional Security, explains how illicit economies distort markets, weaken institutions, undermine legitimate businesses, and exploit differences in regulation, enforcement, transparency, and international cooperation. His intervention highlights the importance of addressing organized crime as a hybrid economic model that combines violence, corruption, logistics, financial sophistication, and market infiltration. He also discusses the need for risk-based regulation, financial inclusion, beneficial ownership transparency, asset recovery, trade-based money laundering controls, public procurement integrity, data sharing, and stronger cross-border investigative mechanisms. The episode reflects on how parliaments can contribute by modernizing legal and institutional frameworks, strengthening oversight and accountability, ensuring that institutions have the capacity to “follow the money,” and supporting regional cooperation against criminal networks that operate across borders. This episode was recorded during the 22nd ParlAmericas Plenary Assembly and 10th Gathering of the Open Parliament Network, titled “Parliamentary Leadership for Shared Prosperity: Advancing Trade, Innovation, and Security in a Changing World,” held in Ottawa, Canada, from May 19 to 22, 2026. Please find the meeting content available at the following link.