From illegal markets to legitimate businesses: the portfolio of organised crime in Europe. Final Report of Project OCP-Organised Crime Portfolio

Abstract

This is the final report of Project OCP-Organised Crime Portfolio (www.ocportfolio.eu).1 Aim of OCP is to carry out an exploratory study of the economics of organised crime in Europe, and in particular to address three research questions, which are covered by the three sections of this report: -Where organised crime proceeds are generated, from which illicit markets (Part 1); -Where these proceeds are then invested in the legitimate economy, in which regions, assets and business sectors (Part 2); -The extent to which these proceeds are confiscated by European authorities (Part 3). The project focuses on seven EU member states (Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom), represented by OCP partners, and for which provides an in-depth analysis. However, the report also presents a broader examination of the situation in Europe as a whole. OCP deals with issues crucial from a policy standpoint but which are characterised by a lack of data and of previous studies. OCP addresses this research gap by adopting an innovative methodology and using a wide range of information, both qualitative and quantitative, deriving from very different sources. Despite its pioneering nature and its data limitations, this report represents a first step towards better understanding of how the organised crime business works. In line with the Transcrime research agenda, it is a starting point for a better identification and reduction of the opportunities exploited by criminals to infiltrate illicit and legitimate markets in Europe. In this sense, this report constitutes an important tool for both public and private institutions to improve the assessment of the risks of organised crime infiltration and to strengthen the tracing and the confiscation of criminal assets in Europe.