Mongolia’s Growing Drug Markets Raise Concerns Over Trafficking

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - The landlocked country of Mongolia is facing a growing problem with large drug markets, increasing the risk of drug trafficking into and through the nation.

Challenges in Combating Organized Crime

According to a recent report, Mongolia has experienced a surge in cyber-attacks and financial crimes, which could be linked to organized crime groups. The report highlights the significant challenges faced by Mongolia in combating organized crime, including:

• Corruption within its political and judicial systems
  • The judiciary is professionalized, but there have been calls for greater independence due to instances of bribery and political influence.
• Inadequate infrastructure and limited resources

Economic Regulatory Environment Challenges

The country’s economic regulatory environment also presents challenges for businesses due to:

• Corruption in the judiciary and land administration
• Political interference in property rights within cities

However, the government has made efforts to combat money laundering and has met the requirements to no longer be internationally greylisted for this crime.

Civil Society Organizations’ Role

Civil society organizations play a vital role in various fields, including:

• Anti-corruption work
• Preventing and caring for victims of human trafficking
• Victim support

However, the report notes that victim support facilities in Mongolia are inadequate and psychosocial care is limited.

Recommendations

To address these challenges, the following recommendations are made:

Strengthen Judiciary’s Independence and Accountability

• Strengthen the judiciary’s independence and accountability to combat corruption and organized crime.

Improve Police Investigative Capacity

• Improve the police’s investigative capacity and ability to track assets abroad to combat money laundering.

Address Corruption in Economic Regulatory Environment

• Address corruption in the economic regulatory environment by implementing reforms and increasing transparency.

Increase Funding for Victim Support Facilities

• Increase funding for victim support facilities and psychosocial care services.

Enhance International Cooperation

• Enhance international cooperation to share intelligence and best practices on combating organized crime.

Conclusion

Mongolia faces significant challenges in combating organized crime, including corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and limited resources. However, with international cooperation and support, the country can work towards addressing these issues and improving its ability to resist cyber-attacks and combat drug trafficking.