University News Last updated 20 October 2023
Brexit has made it easier for organised crime groups in the United Kingdom to operate and expand their enterprises, says a leading criminologist at Birmingham City University (BCU).
Dr Mohammed Rahman, a Senior Lecturer in Criminology, also says criminal syndicates are adding to a growing gun control problem by “exploiting engineering and manufacturing to make firearms from scratch”.
The UK exited the European Union (EU) in February 2020 following a public referendum in 2016.
“Dealing with organised crime in the UK has become more challenging due to limited information sharing between UK agencies and their EU counterparts,” said Dr Rahman.
“It’s a direct consequence of Brexit, which has had numerous negative impacts.”
Dr Rahman has been working with the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime (GITOC) as a Network Expert Member to find solutions.
Made up of prominent law-enforcement, governance, and development practitioners dedicated to seeking new and innovative strategies and responses to organised crime, GITOC was established in 2013 and currently operates from its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
It recently published its second iteration of the Organised Crime Index, which captures information on cybercrime, fraud, drug trafficking, counterfeiting and money laundering to modern-day slavery, immigration crime, bribery, sexual abuse and exploitation across 193 counties.
Dr Rahman’s role was to utilise his expertise to provide data on criminal activities in the UK that would allow policymakers and agencies to establish where vulnerabilities lie.
For example, he highlighted the growing threat of homemade firearms.
“We have some of the tightest gun regulations in the world, but we do have a gun control problem because of the steady supply of guns being made through 3D printing,” said Dr Rahman.
“It’s a problem that might be overlooked for now, but it will become a problem in the near future.”
In 2021, the OC Index gave the UK a criminality score of 4.89 and ranked it 99th of 193 countries. Two years on, the UK’s score has jumped up to 5.45 and it now lies 61st.
Increases in human trafficking, human smuggling, arms trafficking, the cocaine trade, the cannabis trade, and flora crimes are to blame for UK’s problems.
“I clearly remember the narrative presented by central government during the Brexit process regarding organised crime,” said Dr Rahman.
“It was portrayed as a foreign problem, largely attributed to relaxed immigration policies, which led to the emphasis on tightening our borders. I found this perspective problematic because the UK has a long history of domestic organised crime.
“Fortunately, GITOC can serve as a valuable resource for understanding the current global organised crime landscape, its connections to the UK, and strategies for addressing it.”