Over the past decade, organised crime has become increasingly transnational, diversified and technology driven. Criminal networks operate across borders, engage in multiple forms of criminal activity and exploit digital technologies, encrypted communications, artificial intelligence, criminal service providers and online recruitment to expand their reach and adapt to new opportunities. As criminal activities become more interconnected and complex, understanding the links between organised crime and human trafficking is increasingly important. While the two phenomena don’t always overlap, human trafficking is frequently facilitated by organised criminal networks and remains one of the most profitable forms of serious crime, generating substantial illicit profits through labour exploitation, sexual exploitation, forced criminality and other forms of coercion. The JR-IHKA project identifies and analyses international good practices in preventing and combating organised crime-related human trafficking. The findings will support authorities, policymakers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders in developing more effective responses to exploitation and organised criminal activity.
The project outputs:
• A final report in Finnish, including recommendations for authorities, policymakers and practitioners with summaries in English and Swedish
• An English and Finnish policy brief presenting the key findings
• Presentation materials for stakeholders
• A final public webinar
• Scientific and outreach publications based on the project results
The project runs from June 2026 to March 2027. Its objective is to strengthen understanding of the intersection between organised crime and human trafficking and to provide practical, evidence-based recommendations for prevention, intervention, victim protection and policy development.
