Since the Covid-19 pandemic, cyber scams have surged across the Mekong region. Abandoned casinos and hotels have been turned into “scam compounds” serving as bases for romance scams, fake call centres, Ponzi schemes, and voice-phishing operations. These schemes have tricked hundreds of people to transfer money into mule accounts.

But the problem goes far deeper. Criminal networks are profiting from tax evasion, smuggling, and large-scale embezzlement.

In 2024, Vietnamese billionaire Truong My Lan was sentenced to death (since converted to life in prison) for embezzling $12 billion from the Saigon Commercial Bank.

But what’s driving the rise in financial crime across Southeast Asia? And what connects these cases?

🎙 Featuring BC Tan, Managing Director and Head of Investigations for Southeast Asia at Kroll

🎤 Hosted by Thin Lei Win

🔗 Learn more at ocindex.net

This podcast has been funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The views expressed in this publication are the author's alone and are not necessarily the views of the Australian Government.

Underworlds with Mark Shaw is returning for another season.

Mark sits down with authors to discuss their investigations into the murky world of organized crime.

In season two, we hear about a range of stories such as money laundering and cryptocurrency; the 'Ndrangheta's expansion from Calabria, Italy to other countries of Europe.

Also the story of a leading South African police officer, who was tasked with investigating the Italian mafia in South Africa by Nelson Mandela.

A fascinating story about one of the largest frauds in the history of the maritime industry. The growth and evolution of ransomware market, and finally a history of modern Russia told through the stories of four very different criminals.

The series is hosted by Mark Shaw, the Director of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. Mark is also an author of a number of books on organized crime in South Africa.

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🌎 VISIT US! Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime - https://globalinitiative.net/

🎧WHY NOT TRY OUR OTHER PODCASTS:

🎧Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0spSX0QUq7j0NmIZOqyDTZQ

🎧The Index - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSX1Xu1kM0uc_4CftGl8PrwHA3IK5WeI

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Millions of unregistered firearms, surging drug addiction, and cross-border trafficking have turned Pakistan into a hotspot for organized crime. Corruption and economic instability have allowed illicit markets — from heroin to weapons — to flourish.

Terrorist groups like the Tehrik-e-Taliban are thriving in this landscape, carrying out deadly attacks and deepening insecurity.

And in the midst of this unrest, a suicide bombing in Pahalgam that killed 26 Indian tourists has reignited military tensions with India — adding fuel to the long-standing conflict over Indian-administered Kashmir.

According to the OC Index, arms trafficking in Pakistan is only getting worse - the criminal market scored 8.5 out of 10 in 2023, an increase of 0.5 from 2021 – placing it alongside the likes of Russia, Mexico, Turkey and others.

Presenter: Thin Lei Win

Speaker(s): Paddy Ginn, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

Links:

Pakistan Country Profile

The Global Organized Crime Index