RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Colombia ranked as the country with the second-highest organized crime rate in the world, according to the most recent study by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.
The ranking includes 193 member countries of the United Nations. In this case, the country is only surpassed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, which obtained a score of 7.75, while Colombia obtained 7.66.
In Latin America, Mexico ranks fourth (7.56), Honduras tenth (6.98), Paraguay 16th (6.70), Panama 17th (6.68), and Venezuela 18th (6.64).
To make this assessment, the organization took into account three elements in each country: illegal markets, the structure and influence of criminal actors, and resilience, defined as the capacity of the state to disrupt criminal activities through public policies.
According to the study, Colombia’s score is because it is one of the territories with the most human trafficking centers and, at the same time, the country where most cocaine is exported in the world.
It is worth noting that only nine countries in the world have high criminality and, at the same time, high resilience: Colombia, Ecuador, France, Italy, Malaysia, Nigeria, South Africa, Spain, and the United States.
The research also shows that most of the top 20 countries on the list are in a situation of conflict. Colombia scored 9.5 points out of 10 for cocaine trafficking, 9 points for crimes against natural resources, and 8 points for arms and marijuana trafficking.
Regarding criminal markets, the country also ranked second. It scored 7.5 for trafficking in persons, 6 for crimes against flora, and 7 for crimes against fauna.
In contrast, the country obtained the highest score in international cooperation. The organization relates this factor to its coastal location, allowing it to access global trade and maritime infrastructure.
Finally, the study concludes that almost 80% of the world’s population resides in countries with high crime rates. The most widespread criminal economy is human trafficking, with Asia being the continent with the highest levels.
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This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error