UN Office on Drugs and Crime
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is a global leader in the fight against drug trafficking and international crime. Formed in 1997, the UNODC has some 500 staff members worldwide. The UNODC is headquartered in Vienna (Austria).
The UNODC is authorized to assist UN member countries in combating drug trafficking, international crime, and terrorism. The UNODC action plan is aimed at carrying out the following activities:
- research and analysis designed to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the issues of drug trafficking and crime and expand the methodological resources needed for decision-making in this sphere;
- drafting legislation to assist UN member countries in ratifying and implementing international treaties, improve national laws on fighting drug trafficking, international crime, and terrorism;
- implementing technical assistance projects meant to provide targeted local assistance in order to further UN member countries’ activities of fighting drug trafficking, crime, and terrorism.
The UNODC is implementing the Global Program Against Money Laundering that represents the chief UNODC weapon to fight this crime. Through this program the UN is assisting UN member countries in passing AML legislation and working out mechanisms to fight this crime. This Global Program is also aimed at analyzing existing problems in this sphere, publicizing these issues, and coordinating anti-money laundering initiatives implemented by the UN jointly with other international organizations.
The main tools of the Global Program Against Money Laundering are as follows:
- providing technical assistance to developing nations;
- organizing training seminars;
- providing training materials;
- spreading knowledge among different countries;
- conducting research, analysis and collection of data in the sphere of anti-money laundering.