Benin’s Struggle Against Financial Regulation Crimes: A Hotbed for Human Trafficking, Arms Deals, and Drug Transit

Benin, a country in West Africa, faces significant challenges in enforcing financial regulation due to rampant crime in areas such as human trafficking, arms trading, environmental destruction, and drug trafficking.

Human Trafficking

• Benin: Significant Source, Transit Hub, and Destination Market
• Trafficking of Women and Children from Impoverished Northern Regions
• Increase in Migrant Smuggling, Transformation into Waypoint
• Nigerian Smuggling Networks Operate from Benin
• Opportunistic Traffickers Exploit Victims for Domestic Servitude

Arms Trading

• Benin: Vital Transit Point for Small Arms
• Quadrupling of Privately Owned Firearms since 2007
• Threat from Domestic Terrorist Groups and Boko Haram

Deforestation and Environmental Crimes

• Significant International Investment but High Deforestation Rates
• Pervasive Illegal Rosewood Trade to China
• Criminals Enjoy Political Protection from Business, Law Enforcement, and Politicians
• Weak Forest Governance and Suspicious Data on Deforestation
• Illegal Fauna Market Deals with Endangered and Rare Species

Drug Trafficking

• Corruption Makes Benin Attractive Transit Hub
• Cotonou Airport: Significant Hub for European Bound Cocaine
• Transit Point for Kenyan Heroin
• Minimal Domestic Heroin Consumption
• US Department of State and UN Concerns

Challenges in Tackling Financially Regulated Crimes

• Criminal Networks
• State Actor-Criminal Network Collusion
• High Levels of Corruption