Much more needs to be done to combat organized crime in Iraq - UN agency

Iraq is facing an upsurge in violent crime, including kidnapping and murder, as well as a strong possibility of increased drug trafficking, and despite progress achieved by United States-led authorities, much more needs to be done to fight organized crime, according to the findings of a United Nations crime-fighting mission released today.

The four-member team from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which travelled extensively across the country during a two-week visit, found that the impact of damage and looting to police infrastructure after the war and the existence of sophisticated smuggling networks provided fertile ground for organized crime.

The mission recommends improved legal assistance, institution and capacity building, prevention of drug abuse and the promotion of Iraq's reintegration into regional and international cooperation agreements, according to the findings released in Vienna.

Among its conclusions, it found that the Iraqi police infrastructure suffered greatly from damage and looting in the aftermath of the war. Although significant progress has been made by the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in rebuilding and reopening police stations, as well as in providing basic training and a limited amount of equipment, much more remains to be done, particularly in developing specialized capabilities to tackle organized crime and drug trafficking, the team said.

Theft of oil and copper and trafficking in these products is currently a major problem, the team added. The evolving nature of organized crime in Iraq is based on sophisticated smuggling networks, many established under the previous regime to circumvent UN sanctions.

Although drug trafficking is not yet viewed as a serious problem, given Iraq's porous borders, geographical location, - situated near one of the major drug routes for the smuggling of opiates from Afghanistan, - and an established tradition of smuggling, a strong possibility of an increase in drug trafficking exists, the team said.

It also noted that the criminal justice system required substantial reforms in order to respond effectively to the challenges of organized crime and drug trafficking.