This edited book (volume 1) focuses on exploring the global security issues associated with transnational unconventional organized crime. The book is divided into 2 sections:

Part 1: Unconventional Organized Crime Landscape Part 2: Cyber space and organised crime

Transnational unconventional organized crime pose a significant and growing threat to national and global security affecting public safety, human security, public health, economic and governmental stability. Not to mention the contributions transnational organized crime makes to terrorist financing. The adaptive nature of transnational organized crime group as well as terrorist and insurgent organizations makes them capable of innovating in real-time to exploit natural disasters, social crisis and global pandemics. Currently with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, transnational organized crime has flourished taking advantage of the unprecedented opportunities for illicit activities. For example as reported in TRACIT (2020) : Worldwide reports indicate a surge in the availability and type of fraudulent medical products intended to exploit the fears of consumers, which includes illicit offerings of falsified versions of treatments such as Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin that will harm or kill already vulnerable patients. Joint operations by the World Customs Organization, Europol and Interpol have resulted in a significant increase in seizures of counterfeit and unauthorized face masks and hand sanitizers.

Autorentext

Dr Anthony J Masys is an Associate Professor in the College of Public Health, University of South Florida and a senior fellow at the USF Global and National Security Institute (GNSI). A former senior military officer and defence scientist with the Department of National Defence, Dr. Masys is an experienced academic, innovator, facilitator and thought leader working at the intersection of wicked problems, social innovation and applied systems thinking, futures thinking and design thinking. Dr. Masys has conducted research, lectures and workshops across 5 continents working with various government stakeholders in support of disaster risk reduction and design of resilience strategies for security and public safety. Dr. Masys has a BSc in Physics and MSc in Underwater Acoustics and Oceanography from the Royal Military College of Canada and a PhD from the University of Leicester. He is Editor-in-Chief of Springer Book Series: 'Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications'. He has published extensively in the domains of physics and the social sciences and has published over 25 books pertaining to the application of systems thinking on topics ranging from Global Health Security, human security, disaster risk reduction and resilience.

Prof Dr Christian Kaunert is Professor of International Security at Dublin City University, Ireland and Professor of Policing and Security at the University of South Wales. He is also In addition, he is Jean Monnet Chair, Director of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence and Director of the Jean Monnet Network on EU Counter-Terrorism (www.eucter.net). Previously, he served as Academic Director and Professor at the Institute for European Studies, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, a Professor of International Politics, Head of Discipline in Politics, and the Director of the European Institute for Security and Justice, a Jean Monnet Centre for Excellence, at the University of Dundee. Prof Kaunert has researched and taught in many international universities, such as University of Shandong, Jinan, China, IBEI Barcelona, Spain, Diplomatic Academy Yerevan, Armenia - United Nations Development Mission, University of Cairo, Egypt, Collegio Carlo Alberto, Turin, Italy, Ecole nationale d'administration Paris, European Institute of Public Administration Maastricht, Netherlands, European Studies Institute (ESI) at Moscow, University of Porto, Portugal, etc. He was previously Senior Lecturer at the University of Dundee, Marie Curie Senior Research Fellow at the European University Institute Florence, and Senior Lecturer in EU Politics & International Relations, University of Salford. Christian has been invited expert for the EuropeanInstitute for Public Administration (EIPA), the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the European Parliament, the European Union Institute for Security Studies (an agency of the EU), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Over his career, he has been awarded seven prestigious Marie Curie Fellowships, four Jean Monnet Chairs, and, finally, three Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, as well as one Jean Monnet Network of Excellence 'EUCTER'. Additionally, he was awarded a large Horizon 2020 research grant on Terrorist Radicalisation processes - Mindb4Act, and a large Horizon Europe Marie Curie Doctoral Training Network EUGLOCTER. He is currently Editor of the Journal of Contemporary European Studies, the journal European Politics and Society, and was also previously an elected member of the national (UK) Executive Committee of the University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES) and co-founded and co-led the special interest section on the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice of the European Union Studies Association (EUSA). He has also previously been the Editor of the Journal of Contemporary European Research (JCER), on the Executive Committee member of the University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES), and an Expert for the European Parliament. He is also on the editorial board of the journal European Politics and Society (EPS) and the Journal of European Integration (JEI). Prof. Kaunert holds a PhD in International Politics & an MSc in European Politics from the University of Wales Aberystwyth, a BA (Hons) European Business from Dublin City University, ESB Reutlingen and a BA (Hons) Open University.

Prof. Sarah Leonard is Professor of International Security at the University of South Wales and holds a Jean Monnet Chair at Dublin City University. Sarah's research interests lie at the intersection between Security Studies and European Studies. She is particularly interested in the study of securitization processes and the development of the European Union's internal security policies, especially those relating to asylum, migration and borders, as well as counter-terrorism. Sarah holds a PhD in International Politics from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, a Master of Arts in Russian and Eurasian Studies from the University of Leeds, as well as an MA in European Studies and a BA in Politics (International Relations) from the Université Catholique de Louvain. Sarah was previously a Lecturer in International Security at the University of Salford, a Marie Curie Research Fellow at Sciences Po Paris, a Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Dundee, an Associate Professor in International Affairs at Vesalius College, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and a Professor in International Security at the University of the West of England.