Global Agenda Council on Illicit Trade 2011

Illicit trade – that which causes direct human, social, political, or environmental harm – is a major contributor to discrepancies in wealth between the developing and developed world, fuels devastating conflicts, and has become the principal economic activity of several fragile states, severely undermining their legitimacy. In effect, illicit trade is the conduit that supports destabilizing and dangerous activity in nearly every sphere of the global economy. 

From the illegal export of protected commodities to the use of supply lines by terrorist groups and transnational criminal networks, illicit trade hinders the fundamental building blocks of development, democracy, human rights and rule of law. It supports corrupt practices among government officials and private citizens alike. The value of illicit trade globally rivals the individual GDP of most members of the G8.