This paper examines the largely overlooked migration of European organised crime to Africa, from the late twentieth century to today. Focusing on Italian, Balkan and Eastern European actors, it maps their engagement in illicit markets, particularly cocaine trafficking and money laundering, and contextualises these activities within Africa’s colonial and post-colonial legacies. The paper calls for strengthened intelligence, cooperation and enforcement across the continent, with European law enforcement playing a central role.
About the authors
Mark Shaw is the director of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. He was previously the National Research Foundation Professor of Justice and Security at the University of Cape Town and worked for 10 years at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. He has held several positions in the South African government and civil society, where he worked on issues of public safety and urban violence in the post-apartheid transition.
Alex Goodwin is a Senior Analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. He drafted the book-length Strategic Organized Crime Risk Assessment for South Africa in 2022 and has authored many reports exploring the impact of the Russo-Ukrainian war on organised crime.
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