Organized crime causes more homicides than armed conflicts, UN reports

Organized crime is responsible for more homicides globally than armed conflicts, the United Nations reports. Since the year 2000, organized crime has caused an average of 95,000 deaths annually, slightly exceeding the 92,000 deaths attributed to armed conflicts during the same period. However, this form of violence remains "less visible" to the public, according to Giovanni Gallo, head of Drug Control and Crime Prevention at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Gallo explained that many homicides linked to criminal networks are perceived as isolated incidents, contributing to their lower visibility and a diminished sense of their severity. "The majority of these deaths are related to shootings, which is why they probably receive less attention," he stated. This perception often leads to the misconception that the problem is confined to disputes between criminal groups, which is not the case.

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From the year 2000 until today, organized crime has caused about 95,000 deaths per year in the world, a figure comparable to that of wars.

The UNODC data, gathered for the 25th anniversary of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, indicates that out of an average of 430,000 violent deaths worldwide each year since 2000, 95,000 are linked to organized crime, 92,000 to armed conflicts, and 16,000 to terrorist attacks.

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The majority of these deaths are related to shootings, which is why they probably receive less attention, there is a lower perception of their severity and less relevance is given to them.

This type of violence is particularly concentrated in certain regions, notably Latin America. In this region, approximately half of all intentional homicides are associated with organized crime. Gallo attributes this to a combination of factors, including institutional weakness in some countries, significant inequality, the widespread availability of weapons, and intense competition among these organizations for control of highly profitable drug markets, such as cocaine.

Furthermore, Gallo noted a correlation between increased violence and economic contraction. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the economic cost of organized crime is estimated at 3.4% of the region's GDP. Data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) suggests that a 10% increase in media coverage of crime is associated with a subsequent 2.5% drop in industrial production. The UNODC official also highlighted the evolution of organized crime, with networks increasingly operating as sophisticated structures.

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We have observed a correlation between the increase in violence and the contraction of the economy.