International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime Date in the current year: November 15, 2024

Despite efforts to minimize its impact, organized crime thrives globally, undermining governance and political processes, and inhibiting of the rule of law. It encompasses a wide range of illicit activities, including the trafficking in drugs, firearms, cultural artifacts, protected species, and counterfeit medical products. Its most serious forms include migrant smuggling and human trafficking. Organized crime also includes money laundering and obstruction of justice. As these activities increasingly integrate online elements—such as the use of virtual assets—the reach and capacity of organized crime continues to increase.

Criminal organizations are highly adaptable, constantly adjusting or diversifying their operations to maximize profits. They exploit vulnerabilities and crises such as economic recessions, armed conflicts, and natural disasters.

In recent decades, traditional, territorially based criminal groups have been transformed into or partially replaced by smaller, more adaptable networks that operate across multiple jurisdictions. With criminal actors, victims, witnesses, and illicit proceeds dispersed across different countries, coordinated international efforts are essential, as no single nation can effectively combat organized crime in isolation.

On November 15, 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), also known as the Palermo Treaty. It is a multilateral treaty against transnational organized crime that applies to all forms of serious transnational crime committed by organized criminal groups. The UNTOC is the main international legal instrument to fight organized crime; as of 2024, it has 192 parties.

In March 2024, the General Assembly designated 15 November as the International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime. This observance commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the UNTOC and aims to raise awareness of the threats posed by transnational organized crime and to strengthen international cooperation in this area. It also emphasizes the importance of combating and preventing organized crime as an integral part of achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime commemorates all victims of organized crime, in particular those who have lost their lives in the fight against it, such as members of law enforcement and judicial personnel, and pays special tribute to all those whose dedication and sacrifice laid the foundation for the adoption of the Palermo Treaty. Their legacy will live on in our shared global commitment to combat and hopefully one day eradicate organized crime.