Middle East

Transnational crime occurs through all regions of the world, and globalization has made the commission of these crimes easier than ever. The study of transnational crime is particularly important in the region known as the Middle East, which extends from the Mediterranean Sea to Afghanistan and includes parts of northern Africa. Groups that commit transnational crimes in the Middle East and North Africa are often indistinguishable from terrorist organizations. At the core, the operations committed by terrorist organizations are criminal, regardless of their political, economic, or religious motives. The major transnational crimes committed by these groups are kidnapping, arms smuggling, drug trafficking, and financial crimes. There is a close relationship among drug trafficking, financial crimes, and terrorism. Different transnational groups in the Middle East and ...