Illegal Flows (HL IB Geography)

Revision Note

Jacque Cartwright

Expertise

Geography Content Creator

Trafficked People

  • Globalisation has given countries challenges in managing flows across its borders in a bid to allow goods to pass through quickly and efficiently

  • One of these challenges is the illegal goods trade, where organised crime gangs move a commodity from origin to destination along established routes

  • These flows have wide-ranging consequences, from damaging international security and relations to de-valuing currency and threatening the global economy

  • Also called 'modern-day slavery', human trafficking is the illegal movement of people for exploitation and profit

  • Human trafficking is a global problem that affects people of all ages

  • It is estimated that over 1 million people are trafficked each year worldwide, and between 20,000 and 50,000 are trafficked into the United States, which is the largest destination for victims of the sex-trafficking trade

  • Because of the 'hidden' nature of human trafficking, the actual number is unknown and is probably higher

Statistics

  • According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), human trafficking globally generates an estimated 150 billion USD in profits every year

  • Listed as the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world today, and second to the drug trade

  • Every 30 seconds, a child is sold

The 2020 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons states 'there are more humans being sold today in the world than at any other point in human history'

  • Trafficking can be domestic or international and about 60% of victims are international

  • Women account for over half of those trafficked

  • Frequently, victims come from poor countries and are exploited in rich countries

Counterfeit Goods

  • According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the total value of counterfeit and pirated goods was around $2.8 trillion, costing 5.4 million jobs in 2022

  • This is more than drugs and human trafficking combined

  • COVID-19 lockdown saw an increase in online sale of counterfeit goods

    • This was due to the ease of opening one website when another was shut down through illegal trading

    • Evidence shows that online sales grew from 10% of retail sales to more than 30% during COVID

  • Counterfeit goods are responsible for labour exploitation, environmental damage and health implications for consumers because of the use of poor-quality or dangerous materials, lack of quality control and technical training

  • Also, there are links between counterfeit goods, money laundering, illicit drugs and corruption

  • Corruption and bribery are linked when goods are transported internationally

  • Economies suffer not only from the reduction in tax revenues but also from the increase in the cost of surveillance and policing

Flows of Drugs

  • The flow of drugs and fraudulent medicines is a global issue

  • Drug trafficking is a major trade

  • It includes the cultivation (growing), manufacture, distribution and sale of substances that are prohibited by law

  • Worth about $5 billion, the trade in fraudulent medicines is mostly from East Asia and the Pacific to Southeast Africa

  • According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in developed countries, around 1% of total medical product sales involve counterfeit or substandard medicines

  • In low- and middle-income countries, this share is much higher, reaching up to 30% of total sales

The Lancet medical journal published that 33% of malaria drugs in sub-Saharan Africa and east Asia were fraudulent

  • According to a report by Global Financial Integrity (GFI), the estimated annual global value of the drug trafficking market is somewhere between $426 billion and $652 billion (USD)

  • The true value of the global flow of drugs is unknown, as estimates only consider major drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, opiates and amphetamine-type stimulants

  • It does not even include the ever-evolving world of new psychoactive substances (NPS)

  • The largest producer of illegal drugs varies depending on the specific type of drug

    • Opium and heroin: Afghanistan is the world’s largest producer of illicit opiates

      • In 2020, they cultivated around 215,000 hectares of opium poppy

      • However, they are not a major supplier to the United States

    • Cocaine: Colombia produces 60% of the world’s cocaine, followed by Peru and Bolivia

  • Bolivia also provides a transit hub for drug shipments from Peru

  • Morocco is known for cannabis production

  • Mexico and the Bahamas are involved in illicit drug production

Examiner Tip

Remember that the trade in drugs also includes over-the-counter medicines as well as illegal substances such as heroin and cannabis.

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Jacque Cartwright

Author: Jacque Cartwright

Jacque graduated from the Open University with a BSc in Environmental Science and Geography before doing her PGCE with the University of St David’s, Swansea. Teaching is her passion and has taught across a wide range of specifications – GCSE/IGCSE and IB but particularly loves teaching the A-level Geography. For the past 5 years Jacque has been teaching online for international schools, and she knows what is needed to get the top scores on those pesky geography exams.