Illicit trade in ASEAN

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organization that comprises ten countries in Southeast Asia. While the region has experienced impressive economic growth and development in recent years, it is also facing an increasingly serious threat in the form of illicit trade. The rise of illicit trade has dealt significant blows to biodiversity, human lives and human rights, in addition to causing monetary losses to governments and legitimate businesses. Moreover, the proceeds of illicit trade line the pockets of international organised crime, including terrorist organisations, and undermine governments’ ability to safeguard the health and safety of their citizens. It is a complex and multifaceted problem that requires a coordinated response from governments, businesses, civil society, and the international community.

New report
Examining the Negative Impact of Illicit Trade on the ASEAN Community Vision 2025

The TRACIT report, “Examining the Negative Impact of Illicit Trade on the ASEAN Community Vision 2025” offers a comprehensive analysis of how illicit trade affects the three communities of ASEAN:

The ASEAN Political-Security Community is vulnerable because illicit trade is notorious for underpinning criminal and terrorist activities as well as undermining the rule of law.
The ASEAN Economic Community is vulnerable because illicit trade undermines economic growth and legitimate job creation.
The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community is vulnerable because of the negative impacts of illicit trade on trade on environment, consumer safety, human trafficking and forced labor.

The report highlights specific examples of illicit trade in key sectors operating in ASEAN and identifies areas of vulnerability that could be addressed through better policies and regulations. The report concludes with specific policy recommendations for consideration by ASEAN governments to strengthen their efforts to combat illicit trade and achieve their shared vision for the region.

Full Report (PDF) | Media Release (English) | Key messages (Chinese)

Featured events

Report Launch:
Assessing the Impact of Illicit Trade in the ASEAN Region & Pathways for Joint Action
Bangkok, 9 June, 2023

Other publications on illicit trade in ASEAN

Tackling Illicit Alcohol in Southeast Asia (June 2023)

TRACIT in collaboration with APISWA, EU-ABC and AACS launched a joint report 'Towards an ASEAN Community: Tackling Illicit Alcohol in Southeast Asia' at the EU-ASEAN Business Summit in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This report paves the way to effectively counter illicit trade in alcohol in the ASEAN region.

Media Release (English) | Media Release (Cambodian) | Full Report (English) | Full Report (Thai)

Tackling Illicit Trade in ASEAN (November 2020)

TRACIT has joined with the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) to issue a report that sheds light on the growing problem of illicit trade in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The report, titled, “Tackling Illicit Trade in ASEAN”, comes at a time when illicit trade is gaining momentum in ASEAN and as officials prepare for the upcoming 14th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC). The paper investigates various forms of illicit trade in the region, the affected industry sectors and provides critical insight on how government and industry leaders can work together to introduce regulatory changes to confront this pressing issue.

EU-ABC Media Release | Key messages | Full Report (PDF)