A/CONF. 187/5 Trafficking in human beings is in the forefront of the enforcement, strong research and policy development, and Russian crime scene. The Russian Federation is being used a professional judiciary. In a recent statement, the Director as both a transit country and source country for illegally ofthe National Criminal Intelligence Service indicated that transporting persons into eastern and western Europe. As activities such as drug trafficking and credit card fraud many as 500,000 women who are not nationals of a were worth an estimated 50 billion pounds sterling.It was member State of the European Union are working in the reported that criminal groups were extremely flexible sex industry in the European Union. According to police constantly finding new gaps to exploit in the market. There authorities in Germany, average monthly earnings of an were indications that political instability in the balkan illegal Russian migrant working as a prostitute in Germany area, for example, was driving upward the numbers of amount to about $7, 500, of which $7,000 is kept by the asylum seekers in the United Kingdom. There was a brothel owner and the rest is spent on housing, food and concern that some may form criminal alliances to assist one clothing. The prostitute is usually able to save no more another in illegally transporting individuals than $12 per month. 9 23. According to the"Situation Report on Organized 21. In South Africa, the political changes of 1994 that Crime"published by the European Union in 1997,in brought an end to the era of apartheid also brought a the Netherlands there is a rather diverse group involved in degree of instability and a transitional police force. As a trafficking in human beings. Persons from brazil result of those developments, there has been a significant Colombia, Nigeria, Turkey and countries in eastern Europe increase in car thefts in the country. Stolen cars are used as have been involved in such trafficking. There has been a currency in South Africa and in neighbouring countries: focus on trafficking in women from the Czech Republic they are often exchanged for narcotics, illicit weapons and Slovakia, Yugoslavia, and its former constituent republics other contraband. The number of reported carjackings and the cis member States for the purpose of prostitution increased from 13.011 in 1997 to 15111 in 1998. in the Netherlands representing an increase of 16. I per cent. The increase in 24. Organized criminal groups in eastern Europe, truck hijacking in the same period was even higher: involved in trafficking in human beings, have expanded accompanied by violence. South Africa appears to be and the smuggling of motor vehicles. Money-laundering experiencing high rates of violence in general. Its rates for homicide, rape, robbery and violent theft are among the also appears to be a problem area for law enforcement in the Netherlands: the Unusual Transactions Disclosure highest in the world. It is difficult to estimate the degree to Office reported some 17,000 transactions in 1997 ed to organize Colombian, Moroccan and Turkish criminal groups often criminal groups, but it is evident that South Africa is a send money from the Netherlands to their home countries country ripe for the expansion of organized crime The via courier and the underground banki country has a well-developed infrastructure: there are air, road and sea links to the rest of the world and telecommunication facilities are on a par with those of E. Crime and technology most developed countries. South Africa is capable of being both a supplier(gold, diamonds, ivory, rhinoceros horn, 25. Governments have been struggling with how to abalone and motor vehicles), and a market (illegal drugs regulate commerce on the Internet. The guidelines and firearms) for organized crime governing face-to-face market transactions are often not suited to electronic interaction. Similarly, law enforcement D. Crime and stabilit efforts and strategies that have proved successful in the real world are inadequate in the"virtual'world. For example, an Internet gambling company in New York has 22. Organized crime is not confined to countries witn its computers placed in Antigua, where casino gambling is economies in transition or developed countries. The tentacles of organized crime have reached nearly all regions of the world. For example, the United Kingdom has 26. In addition to making more accessible"traditional experienced an increase in organized crime although it is crimes, such as gambling, the Internet has pta.gtes a country with a long history of innovative law forms of crime. The Vice-President of the United StA/CONF.187/5 8 20. Trafficking in human beings is in the forefront of the Russian crime scene. The Russian Federation is being used as both a transit country and source country for illegally transporting persons into eastern and western Europe. As many as 500,000 women who are not nationals of a member State of the European Union are working in the sex industry in the European Union. According to police authorities in Germany, average monthly earnings of an illegal Russian migrant working as a prostitute in Germany amount to about $7,500, of which $7,000 is kept by the brothel owner and the rest is spent on housing, food and clothing. The prostitute is usually able to save no more than $12 per month.9 21. In South Africa, the political changes of 1994 that brought an end to the era of apartheid also brought a degree of instability and a transitional police force. As a result of those developments, there has been a significant increase in car thefts in the country. Stolen cars are used as currency in South Africa and in neighbouring countries: they are often exchanged for narcotics, illicit weapons and other contraband. The number of reported carjackings increased from 13,011 in 1997 to 15,111 in 1998, representing an increase of 16.1 per cent. The increase in truck hijacking in the same period was even higher: 34.4 per cent. The hijacking of motor vehicles is often accompanied by violence. South Africa appears to be experiencing high rates of violence in general. Its rates for homicide, rape, robbery and violent theft are among the highest in the world. It is difficult to estimate the degree to which violent crimes of this kind are linked to organized criminal groups, but it is evident that South Africa is a country ripe for the expansion of organized crime. The country has a well-developed infrastructure: there are air, road and sea links to the rest of the world and its telecommunication facilities are on a par with those of most developed countries. South Africa is capable of being both a supplier (gold, diamonds, ivory, rhinoceros horn, abalone and motor vehicles), and a market (illegal drugs and firearms) for organized crime. D. Crime and stability 22. Organized crime is not confined to countries with economies in transition or developed countries. The tentacles of organized crime have reached nearly all regions of the world. For example, the United Kingdom has experienced an increase in organized crime although it is a country with a long history of innovative law enforcement, strong research and policy development, and a professional judiciary. In a recent statement, the Director of the National Criminal Intelligence Service indicated that activities such as drug trafficking and credit card fraud were worth an estimated 50 billion pounds sterling.10 It was reported that criminal groups were extremely flexible, constantly finding new gaps to exploit in the market. There were indications that political instability in the Balkan area, for example, was driving upward the numbers of asylum seekers in the United Kingdom. There was a concern that some may form criminal alliances to assist one another in illegally transporting individuals. 23. According to the “Situation Report on Organized Crime” published by the European Union in 1997, in the Netherlands there is a rather diverse group involved in trafficking in human beings. Persons from Brazil, Colombia, Nigeria, Turkey and countries in eastern Europe have been involved in such trafficking. There has been a focus on trafficking in women from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Yugoslavia, and its former constituent republics and the CIS member States for the purpose of prostitution in the Netherlands. 24. Organized criminal groups in eastern Europe, involved in trafficking in human beings, have expanded into other criminal activities, including drug trafficking and the smuggling of motor vehicles. Money-laundering also appears to be a problem area for law enforcement in the Netherlands: the Unusual Transactions Disclosure Office reported some 17,000 transactions in 1997. Colombian, Moroccan and Turkish criminal groups often send money from the Netherlands to their home countries via courier and the underground banking system. E. Crime and technology 25. Governments have been struggling with how to regulate commerce on the Internet. The guidelines governing face-to-face market transactions are often not suited to electronic interaction. Similarly, law enforcement efforts and strategies that have proved successful in the real world are inadequate in the “virtual” world. For example, an Internet gambling company in New York has its computers placed in Antigua, where casino gambling is legal. 26. In addition to making more accessible “traditional” crimes, such as gambling, the Internet has produced new forms of crime. The Vice-President of the United States