Stopping deadly opioids and other illicit drugs.
Giving organized criminal groups no place to hide.
Protecting people from online scams and cyber fraud.
Keeping trafficked weapons and criminal proceeds from fuelling more crime, terrorism and conflict.
This is the support UNODC provides.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) advances justice and security around the globe to enable people, families and communities to live peaceful, healthy and prosperous lives.
Organized crime is a growing threat. Criminal groups are increasingly transnational, exploiting rule of law gaps and law enforcement weaknesses in one area, country or region so they can expand their operations and find victims in all our countries.
Trafficking of illicit drugs – including synthetic drugs such as fentanyl and plant-based drugs such as cocaine – as well as trafficking of people, weapons and critical minerals and other natural resources -- are generating untold profits for criminal groups even as their crimes are costing lives. The criminal proceeds are being laundered through our financial systems and used to corrupt people and fund acts of terrorism. Through modern technology, organized criminal groups can increasingly reach into people’s homes to recruit victims and conduct fraud and online scams.
As the only UN office dedicated to preventing and addressing drugs and crime, UNODC helps Member States to develop and implement comprehensive, evidence-based solutions to complex and interconnected drug and crime threats at the national, regional and global levels.
UNODC support to governments, criminal justice institutions and law enforcement is focused on three areas: 1) policy 2) data and research and 3) training and support.
UNODC works with governments and other stakeholders to rapidly identify new criminal trends and threats and take strategic and effective action.
Our drugs and crime expertise is built on decades of field and operational experience as well as data collection, research and analysis. As the guardian of international crime and corruption conventions and the secretariat of global UN policy bodies on drugs, crime and corruption, UNODC provides the primary forum for multilateral policymaking and information sharing, addressing threats that no one country can tackle alone.
UNODC brings countries together to cooperate and find common solutions, and develop legislation, policies and strategies to bring transnational organized criminal groups to justice while protecting people and their rights.
UNODC produces research and analysis on a range of drug and crime issues and provides scientific and forensic services to identify and analyse illicit drugs and more.
UNODC provides technical assistance – training government officials, parliamentarians, judges, prosecutors and law enforcement, customs, border, prison and financial intelligence unit officers as well as healthcare and social workers – and supports cross-border networks to strengthen capacities of countries to prevent, investigate and prosecute crimes and support victims.
UNODC cooperates with a wide range of stakeholders to maximize the impact of our work, including the private sector, international and regional organizations and other UN entities, as well as civil society organizations and academic and research institutions.
We also foster South-South cooperation to help countries help themselves through shared know-how and good practices.
UNODC relies on voluntary contributions, mainly from governments, to be effective, efficient, and targeted in its operations, and to the respond to the priorities identified by Member States. Learn more here.
