International Crimes

International crimes can be categorized as either criminal offenses against the world community — acts of terrorism or war that threaten world order and security; crimes against humanity, and genocide — or transnational criminal acts, including drug trafficking, trans-border organized criminal activity, counterfeiting, money laundering, financial crimes, willful damage to the environment, and computer crimes.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 provides the statutory authority in U.S. law to allow prosecution of human traffickers even where nonviolent coercion is used to force victims to work in the belief they would be subject to serious harm. Using the statutory authority provided in the Controlled Substances Actthe U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency pursues and prosecutes drug traffickers within and outside of the United States.

Drug Trafficking: Among the most common international crimes are drug trafficking activities. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)enforces the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and refers perpetrators involved in making or distributing controlled substances to the Department of Justice for prosecution. The DEA collaborates with the United Nations, Interpol, and other organizations on matters relating to international drug control programs, international crimes, international criminal law, and international law.

Crimes Against Humanity: Related to larger-scale crimes against humanity and under the rubric of international criminal law, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, investigates and prosecutes those individuals accused of crimes against humanity, genocide, and crimes of war.

Human Trafficking: U.S. Government estimates indicate that 800,000 to 900,000 victims are trafficked globally each year and 17,500 to 18,500 are trafficked into the United States. The Department of Justicepursues and prosecutes human traffickers, whether the victims were smuggled for sexual exploitation, or to work as agricultural, sweat shop workers, or domestic servants.

International Computer Crime: With the explosive growth of the Internet, computer crimes are increasingly international in dimension. The Department of Justice works with foreign governments and other U.S. agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the U.S. Postal Service, to address global threats related to computer crime.

If you or someone you know is under investigation for an international crime, seek the advice of an experienced criminal defense attorney right away.