Combating Organized Crime in Gabon: A Mixed Performance

Addressing Certain Types of Organized Crime

Gabon has taken steps to address certain types of organized crime, including:

• Wildlife trafficking: The country has established a national commission to coordinate efforts to combat the circulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons.
• Illicit trade of counterfeit pharmaceuticals: Gabon has implemented measures to tackle this type of organized crime.

Challenges in Combating Organized Crime

However, Gabon’s performance in combating organized crime is mixed due to several challenges:

• Lack of specialized units: The country’s judicial system lacks specialized units to counter organized crime.
• Corruption among judges: There have been reports of complicity among judges who allegedly take bribes from traffickers to delay or dismiss cases.
• Inadequate capacity: Law enforcement agencies lack specialized units to tackle organized crime, although they do receive training to fight specific activities such as resource exploitation and drug trafficking.

Economic and Financial Environment

Gabon has established mechanisms and regulatory frameworks to curb money laundering, including the Financial Intelligence Unit. However, these mechanisms lack the capacity to investigate and prosecute money laundering cases effectively.

Role of Civil Society Organizations

Civil society organizations play a role in responding to organized crime in Gabon, including:

• Operation of shelters for victims of human trafficking: These organizations provide support to victims of human trafficking.
• Combating wildlife trafficking and illegal fishing: The government has been working with civil society organizations to combat these types of organized crime.

Press Freedom and Media Restrictions

However, the report notes that press freedom is eroding in Gabon, and journalists are intimidated by law enforcement operating in the country. The media is subjected to extreme restrictions by the media regulator sanctions, leading to self-censorship among journalists and reporters.

Conclusion

Overall, while Gabon has taken steps to address certain types of organized crime, its performance in this area is mixed, and it still faces significant challenges in combating organized crime effectively.