Crime Spot - Your Podcast on Organized Crime

In this episode, we discuss a case of falsified medical products with Hugo Bonar, who worked for the Health Products Regulatory Authority (formerly known as the Irish Medicines Board). 

Crime Spot is hosted by Esther and Felix.

Useful links relevant to this episode:

In today’s episode, investigative journalist Ottavia Spaggiari joins Esther and Felix to talk about sex trafficking from Nigeria to Europe.

** Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 | Instagram: crime_spot

In today’s special episodes on crimes on our oceans, Esther and Felix discuss modern-day piracy in Western Africa with Dr. Dirk Siebels, maritime security expert.

** Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 | Instagram: crime_spot

*** In this episode, Esther and Felix explore the use of military approaches to implement conservation measures, so-called Green Militarization. Special guest of this episode, Dr. Anwesha Dutta, talks about her recent article and how Green Militarization overlaps with counter-insurgency efforts.

*** Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 | Instagram: crime_spot

*** This episode continues the series of episodes dedicated to organized crime on our oceans. Today, Esther and Felix look at cocaine smuggled via maritime routes and how it moves through Europe’s largest port, the port of Rotterdam. For that, they talk to Dr. Lieselot Bisschop, Associate Professor at the Erasmus School of Law (Erasmus University Rotterdam).

*** Follow us: Twitter: @CrimeSpot1 | Instagram: crime_spot

About the episode

In this episode, Esther and Felix welcome Antony Loewenstein to talk about his recent book "Pills, Powder, and Smoke - Inside the Bloody War on Drugs". His book looks into the genesis, implementation and consequences of anti-drug policies, challenging binary narratives opposing legal and illegal markets; organized crime groups versus states. Loewenstein calls into question the actual benefactors of the war on drugs and brings to light its financial and human costs in source, transit and destination countries. Find the show notes for this episode below.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed during the interview do not necessarily represent the views and opinions by Crime Spot or its producers.

Announcements

We will be live during the 24h Conference on Global Organized Crime. Join in on November 10th at 23:00 CET  using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86425325569?pwd=YlQrcmNJdUtMRDkwTkxDVkp2NFErUT09 

Visit our side event's page: https://oc24.globalinitiative.net/7b/  

In this second episode of the special series on organized crime on our oceans, Esther and Felix are joined by Lejda Toci, fisheries crime focal point from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Together, they discuss fisheries crime, other types of criminalities within the fisheries industry and map out the fisheries value chain.

Follow Lejda Toci on Twitter: @LejdaToci

Music:

** "Hunting The Hunters" by Ancient Astronauts & Ian Urbina

** "Riders Of Lost Arks Pt. 2" by Alec Troniq & Ian Urbina

Sources for this episode include:

*** Time stamps for this episode: Interview with Ian Urbina 05:30 - 52:45

*** This episode kicks off a series of episodes dedicated to organized crime on our oceans. Esther and Felix talk to Ian Urbina, investigative journalist, Pulitzer prize winner and former New York Times writer. Ian is the author of the book The Outlaw Ocean and has launched a reporting project under the same name, including the Outlaw Ocean Music Project.

“Traffickers and smugglers, pirates and mercenaries, wreck thieves and repo men, vigilante conservationists and elusive poachers, seabound abortion providers, clandestine oil-dumpers, shackled slaves and cast-adrift stowaways — drawing on five years of perilous and intrepid reporting, often hundreds of miles from shore, Ian Urbina introduces us to the inhabitants of this hidden world. Through their stories of astonishing courage and brutality, survival and tragedy, he uncovers a globe-spanning network of crime and exploitation that emanates from the fishing, oil and shipping industries, and on which the world’s economies rely.”

To commemorate Global Tiger Day, Esther and Felix look into the illegal trade in tigers and shed light on issues previously unaddressed by a certain Netflix documentary.

Sources for this episode include:

“The Rise of the Parallel Pandemic” explores the growth of the global trade in counterfeit products amid the COVID-19 crisis. Organized crime groups are capitalizing on fear, supply shortages & growing demand to sell their products & expand their influence in existing and emerging consumer markets. Now more than ever, it is important to understand the health, societal & economic risks posed by consuming illicit medical products.

Sources for “The Rise of the Parellel Pandemic” include: