Transnational Organized Crime : What Factors Contribute for Transnational Organized Crime to Expand Across Borders in the European Union?

Abstract: This research paper investigates how Transnational Organized Crime has expanded and increased their presence and their activities across borders in the European Union. Four significant concepts and theories; Globalization, migration, the social embeddedness theory, and the illegal enterprise theory were applied in order to explain how a crucial factor, globalization, in different forms has facilitated for the expansions. Using data in form of reports, documents, and news articles, a qualitative content analysis was conducted. The results show that globalization within certain industries such as transportation and trade has facilitated for the expansion in terms of activities. While globalization in terms of an enhanced movement of people across borders facilitated for the expansions in terms of recruitment of new members. Based on the results, the term globalization itself is not efficient enough to explain why and how it has facilitated for the expansions. Hence the importance of the theories and concepts that in this case have enhanced the analysis and enlarged the discussion which led to the above stated conclusion on how globalization in different forms have facilitated for Transnational Organized Crime to expand across borders.