Organised Crime Involvement in Waste Trafficking – Case of the Republic of Slovenia
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How to Cite

Meško, G. ., & Eman, K. . (2012). Organised Crime Involvement in Waste Trafficking – Case of the Republic of Slovenia. Kriminalističke Teme, (5-6), 79-96. Retrieved from https://krimteme.fkn.unsa.ba/index.php/kt/article/view/58

Abstract

In the last two decades the scope of transnational environmental crime, especially waste trafficking, has expanded and become increasingly prof-itable. Since the perpetrators of environmental crime can generate signif-icant profits with minimal risks, the area is attractive for organized crimi-nal groups, which see exceptional 'business' opportunities in it (i.e., crim-inal enterprise). In the past the environmental crime has become transna-tional, when the organized groups took the advantage of liberalization and globalization of the world economy.

The case study of organised environmental crime in Slovenia revealed that its specialty is the countries' spatial placement in the transition zone be-tween the Western and Eastern Europe and the border between North and South. It is known as a transit country of organized crime groups. This applies to environmental crime as well, within the last three years growing illegal transport of waste from Western Europe to the East and trafficking of animal and plant species in the opposite direction. In addition to indi-vidual cases of waste shipping with the incomplete documentation, waste trafficking in Slovenia was characterized by: 1) various cases when Italian Mafia is paying Slovenian farmers to dump waste in the sinkholes in their fields in Primorska region; and 2) ‘relocation of industrial production’ from developed countries (Lafarge Cement case).

The trade with waste is an international form of environmental crime; therefore planned response on a global level is necessary. It will remain a profitable business as long as the financial costs of environmental protec-tion for the offenders will outweigh the benefits and as well as sanctions and penalties will be ‘ridiculously’ low compared to a gained profit. For a successful fight against transnational environmental crime in Europe and worldwide greater cooperation and information sharing is needed; trans-fer of information, experience and intelligence sharing, and knowledge ex-change.

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