B8537 - TRANSNATIONAL COMPLEX CRIME

Learning outcomes

Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the nature, scope, and impact of various transnational crimes, with a specific focus on illicit trade, such as drug trafficking by various forms of organised crime. They will analyse the structure and dynamics of trafficking networks, exploring their operational methods, their use of technology, their organisational hierarchies and intergenerational changes,the roles of different state and non-state actors involved in these illicit activities, and even the use of corruption. A critical component of the module will be an examination of the role of ports in facilitating organised crime and the illegal movement of commodities. Students will analyse current strategies for enhancing port security and combating criminal flows effectively in Europe and beyond. Through the exploration of relevant case studies of mobile criminal groups, students will develop advanced research skills and apply criminological theories to better understand the complexities of transnational complex criminality. The module encourages an interdisciplinary approach, integrating perspectives from criminology, sociology, law, economics, and international relations.

Course contents

The course will be articulated in three parts:

Part 1: Illicit and drug trade

• What are Organised Crimes? What are Complex Crimes?
• Organised Crime and Illicit Trade
• Trading and Trafficking Illegally
• The political economy of drug trafficking
• The politics of drug trafficking
• The actors of drug trafficking
• The tools of drug trafficking

Part 2: The security-crime problem

• Countering illicit trade between national security and crime prevention
• International and regional cooperation in countering illicit trade
• The conflation between border security and the policing of complex criminality cross border
• Policing complex crimes internationally and regionally
• Prosecuting complex crimes internationally and regionally

Part 3: Ports and governance of mobility of (illicit) goods

• Ports, crime and security
• Intro to maritime and port security
• Case study: cocaine trade through ports
• Corruption on the waterfront
• Governing the mobility of illicit actors and goods via ports

Readings/Bibliography

For attending students (attending at least 80% of classes - monitored)

Attending students will actively engage with course materials in class and they are expected to take part in class activities (e.g. workshops/discussion). In addition to the course materials shared during the course, attending students will prepare on the following:

Required:

(Monograph) Sergi, A., Reid, A., Storti, L., & Easton, M. (2021). Ports, Crime and Security. Governing and Policing Seaports in a Changing World, Bristol University Press.

(Journal Article) Kenney, M. (2007). The architecture of drug trafficking: Network forms of organisation in the Colombian cocaine trade. Global crime, 8(3), 233-259.

(Journal Article) Legrand, T., & Leuprecht, C. (2021). Securing cross-border collaboration: transgovernmental enforcement networks, organized crime and illicit international political economy. Policy and Society, 40(4), 565-586.

(Journal Article) Sergi, A., & Rizzuti, A. (2023). Anti-mafia cross-border: Conceptual and procedural asymmetries in the fight against Italian mafias in Europe. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 17, paac047

(Journal Article) Giommoni, L., Berlusconi, G., & Aziani, A. (2022). Interdicting international drug trafficking: a network approach for coordinated and targeted interventions. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 28(4), 545-572.

(Journal Article) Sergi, A. (2022). Playing Pac-Man in Portville: Policing the dilution and fragmentation of drug importations through major seaports. European Journal of Criminology, 19(4), 674-691.

Suggested:

(Journal Article) Sergi, A., & Storti, L. (2021). Shaping space. A conceptual framework on the connections between organised crime groups and territories: An introduction to the special issue on ‘Spaces of Organised Crime’. Trends in Organized Crime, 24, 137-151.

(Journal Article) Herrera, I. R., & Dessein, J. (2023). ‘We are not Drug Traffickers, We are Colombian Peasants’: The voices and history of cocaleros in the substitution programme of illicit crops in Colombia. Geoforum, 141, 103734.

(Journal Article) Gutiérrez-Sanín, F. (2021). Tough Tradeoffs: Coca crops and agrarian alternatives in Colombia. International Journal of Drug Policy, 89, 103156.

(Journal Article) Van Uhm, D., South, N., & Wyatt, T. (2021). Connections between trades and trafficking in wildlife and drugs. Trends in organized crime, 24(4), 425-446.

(Journal Article) Sergi, A., & Lavorgna, A. (2024). Intergenerational and technological changes in mafia-type groups: a transcultural research agenda to study the ‘ndrangheta and its mobility. SN Social Sciences, 4(11), 192.

(Journal Article) Malm A & Bichler G (2011) Networks of collaborating criminals: Assessing the structural vulnerability of drug markets. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 48(2): 271–297.

(Journal Article) Roks, R., Bisschop, L., & Staring, R. (2021). Getting a foot in the door. Spaces of cocaine trafficking in the Port of Rotterdam. Trends in Organized Crime, 24, 171-188.

(Journal Article) Antonelli, M. (2024). Unpacking drug trafficking phenomenon through seaports: lessons from the Italian ports. Global Crime, 25(1), 72-95.

 

 

For NON attending students:

Required

(Monograph) Kassab, H. S., & Rosen, J. D. (2018). Illicit markets, organized crime, and global security. Springer/Palgrave

(Monograph) Sergi, A., Reid, A., Storti, L., & Easton, M. (2021). Ports, Crime and Security

Governing and Policing Seaports in a Changing World, Bristol University Press.

(Journal Article) Kenney, M. (2007). The architecture of drug trafficking: Network forms of organisation in the Colombian cocaine trade. Global crime, 8(3), 233-259.

(Journal Article) Legrand, T., & Leuprecht, C. (2021). Securing cross-border collaboration: transgovernmental enforcement networks, organized crime and illicit international political economy. Policy and Society, 40(4), 565-586.

(Journal Article) Sergi, A., & Rizzuti, A. (2023). Anti-mafia cross-border: Conceptual and procedural asymmetries in the fight against Italian mafias in Europe. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 17, paac047

(Journal Article) Giommoni, L., Berlusconi, G., & Aziani, A. (2022). Interdicting international drug trafficking: a network approach for coordinated and targeted interventions. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 28(4), 545-572.

(Journal Article) Sergi, A. (2022). Playing Pac-Man in Portville: Policing the dilution and fragmentation of drug importations through major seaports. European Journal of Criminology, 19(4), 674-691.

Suggested:

(Journal Article) Sergi, A., & Storti, L. (2021). Shaping space. A conceptual framework on the connections between organised crime groups and territories: An introduction to the special issue on ‘Spaces of Organised Crime’. Trends in Organized Crime, 24, 137-151.

(Journal Article) Herrera, I. R., & Dessein, J. (2023). ‘We are not Drug Traffickers, We are Colombian Peasants’: The voices and history of cocaleros in the substitution programme of illicit crops in Colombia. Geoforum, 141, 103734.

(Journal Article) Gutiérrez-Sanín, F. (2021). Tough Tradeoffs: Coca crops and agrarian alternatives in Colombia. International Journal of Drug Policy, 89, 103156.

(Journal Article) Van Uhm, D., South, N., & Wyatt, T. (2021). Connections between trades and trafficking in wildlife and drugs. Trends in organized crime, 24(4), 425-446.

(Journal Article) Sergi, A., & Lavorgna, A. (2024). Intergenerational and technological changes in mafia-type groups: a transcultural research agenda to study the ‘ndrangheta and its mobility. SN Social Sciences, 4(11), 192.

(Journal Article) Malm A & Bichler G (2011) Networks of collaborating criminals: Assessing the structural vulnerability of drug markets. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 48(2): 271–297.

(Journal Article) Roks, R., Bisschop, L., & Staring, R. (2021). Getting a foot in the door. Spaces of cocaine trafficking in the Port of Rotterdam. Trends in Organized Crime, 24, 171-188.

(Journal Article) Antonelli, M. (2024). Unpacking drug trafficking phenomenon through seaports: lessons from the Italian ports. Global Crime, 25(1), 72-95.

 

Teaching methods

The course is taught in person in class; lectures also include practice, review and discussion sessions. Each lecture provides a reference framework for the topics covered with the support of summary slides, video and audio materials, case studies; these materials are made available to students on the Unibo Virtuale platform. Participation in group discussions is actively encouraged.

For incoming undergraduate students, in order to attend and pass this advanced course with proficiency, the following competence are suggested: Introduction to criminology (or sociology of deviance).

The course is taught and assessed in English.

Assessment methods

For attending students (attending at least 80% of classes - monitored)

Students who attend the course in person will have an in-class evaluation during part 3). The in-class evaluation will be:

- a short oral presentation of approx. 10 minutes, also with the support of slides and other materials, during the last week of the course (25% of the final grade);

- a short 3-5 pages written report to be delivered on the day of the oral presentation (25% of the final grade).

Students will have to research and build a scenario where they imagine an illicit trade of drugs operation (via land, or via sea) across at least two countries. They need to imagine each step of the drug trafficking supply chain, build up the actors (criminal organisation) and give as many details as possible on them (social, economic etc); they also need to counter this trafficking operation each step of the way (via policing strategies, international cooperation, crime prevention mechanisms). All needs to be underpinned by research. More details on preparation will be provided in due course.

The maximum score achievable in this evaluation is 30/30; the evaluation is considered passed with a score equal to or higher than 18/30. The in-class evaluation (oral presentation + written report) will count towards 50% of the final mark.

The passing grades obtained in the in-class evaluation will remain valid until the September 2026 exam session included, or until the last exam session of the current academic year. In the event of failing the in-class evaluation the students will be treated as non-attending students at the exam and be tested on the full list of materials.

For the 2025-26 academic year, the in-class evaluation is expected to be held in December 2025, and the lecturer reserves the right to confirm this at the beginning of the lesson period.

The oral exam (50% of the overall mark for attending students) consists of an interview to verify the learning of the contents of the lessons, textbook chapters and case studies, their correct presentation and the ability to make connections between the different areas or problems.

 

For NON attending students:

Students not attending the classroom will have an extended reading list as detailed above. During the exam day there will be a written test. Access to the rest of the exam will be subject to passing the test which will be passed with a score equal to or higher than 18/30 (max 30). The oral exam consists of an interview to verify the learning of the contents of the reading materials, their correct presentation and the ability to make connections between the different areas or problems. The preparation of those students who demonstrate that they have acquired knowledge, analytical skills and connection of the main events and phenomena relating to illicit trade and complex criminality will be assessed as excellent/very good. The assessment will be graded in proportion to any gaps demonstrated by the student with respect to the aforementioned knowledge and skills; in the event of serious deficiencies in preparation, an insufficient assessment may be assigned.

Please note: During the exam session, the written test and the interview take place on the same day and it is not possible to "keep" the sufficient grade obtained in the presentation for a subsequent exam session.

Teaching tools

Projector and computer. Details of lectures, lecture slides, additional teaching material and key information and announcements regarding this course are available on Virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Massimiliano Trentin