7 February 2013, Male'; The Maldives has acceded to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) on 23 January 2013.
The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, which entered into force in September 2000, is the main international instrument to counter organized crime. The Convention commits states to introduce a range of measures, including the creation of domestic criminal offences to counter the problem; the adoption of new frameworks for mutual legal assistance; extradition; law enforcement cooperation; technical assistance and training. Transnational Crimes specified in the convention include terrorism, drug smuggling, illegal migration, fraud, kidnapping, money laundering and human trafficking.
Transnational organized crime manifests globally in many forms, including trafficking in drugs, firearms and even in persons. Organized Crime groups also exploit human mobility to smuggle migrants and undermine financial systems through money laundering. By becoming a party to the convention the Maldives will have access to a new framework for mutual legal assistance and extradition as well as a platform for strengthening law enforcement cooperation in dealing with the issue. Maldives will also benefit through other states in promoting training and technical assistance to strengthen the capacity of national authorities to address organized crime related issues.
The Maldives will soon accede to the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children which is a Protocol to the UNTOC. In preventing trafficking in persons, the Protocol obliges states to criminalize trafficking, investigate prosecute and convict traffickers and to undertake border control measures.
The UNTOC will come into force to the Maldives on 6 March 2013.
ENDS.