Universiteit van Amsterdam
Transnational Criminal Law – Transnational and International Criminal Law – 2024/2025
Lecture and tutorial notes Transnational Criminal Law (3064TCL4VY).
Table of content
WEEK 1 – INTRODUCTION TO TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW AND TRANSNATIONAL CRIMES ..................... 3
LECTURE NOTES ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Summary of the course ................................................................................................................................... 3
The position and relevance of TCL within the broader field of ICL lato sensu ................................................ 3
What is a transnational crime? ...................................................................................................................... 4
TCL as a legal system? .................................................................................................................................... 5
Enforcement of TCL ........................................................................................................................................ 6
WEEK 2 – TERORISM ........................................................................................................................................ 7
LECTURE NOTES ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 7
Terrorism as a transnational crime under the sectorial conventions ............................................................. 7
Draft comprehensive convention against international terrorism ............................................................... 11
Enforcing international counter-terrorism law ............................................................................................. 12
Terrorism as an international crime? ........................................................................................................... 13
Abuse and instrumentalization of terrorism and its challenges for human rights and freedoms ................ 14
TUTORIAL NOTES ................................................................................................................................................... 16
Problem-based question 1 ............................................................................................................................ 16
Problem-based question 2 ............................................................................................................................ 17
Question for discussion ................................................................................................................................. 19
WEEK 3 – DRUG TRAFFICKING AND TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME ..................................................... 21
LECTURE NOTES ..................................................................................................................................................... 21
Transnational organized Crimes (TOCs): origins and perceptions ................................................................ 21
The challenges of the different models of OCG ............................................................................................ 21
Transnational criminal Justice Architecture – General framework .............................................................. 22
UNTOC .......................................................................................................................................................... 22
Drug trafficking ............................................................................................................................................ 25
Drug Prohibition through International Law ................................................................................................ 27
Suppression Conventions .............................................................................................................................. 27
TOCs and Drug Trafficking: the challenges ................................................................................................... 31
TUTORIAL NOTES ................................................................................................................................................... 32
WEEK 4 – MARITIME PRIVACY ........................................................................................................................ 38
LECTURE NOTES ..................................................................................................................................................... 38
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 38
History .......................................................................................................................................................... 38
Origins and features ..................................................................................................................................... 38
Piracy definition ............................................................................................................................................ 39
Main elements of the crime.......................................................................................................................... 39
Other relevant provisions ............................................................................................................................. 40
Counterpiracy – UNSCH approved operation ‘Ocean Shield’ ........................................................................ 40
Challenges in the prosecution of suspected pirates – personal experiences ................................................ 41
TUTORIAL NOTES ................................................................................................................................................... 42
WEEK 5 – CORRUPTION AND MONEY LAUNDERING ....................................................................................... 45
1
, LECTURE NOTES ..................................................................................................................................................... 45
Corruption .................................................................................................................................................... 45
Money laundering ........................................................................................................................................ 48
TUTORIAL NOTES ................................................................................................................................................... 53
WEEK 6 – HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND MIGRANT SMUGGLING ....................................................................... 57
LECTURE NOTES ..................................................................................................................................................... 57
Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling–Historical Overview ................................................................ 57
Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling– Historical Overview ............................................................... 57
Relationship between UNTOC and its Protocols ........................................................................................... 57
Human Trafficking Protocol .......................................................................................................................... 58
Migrant Smuggling Protocol ........................................................................................................................ 60
Protection of victims and Interplay with other areas of International Law .................................................. 62
Migrant Smuggling vs. Human Trafficking –Differences .............................................................................. 63
Gendered critique ......................................................................................................................................... 63
Relationship Human Trafficking and Enslavement ....................................................................................... 64
Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................... 64
TUTORIAL NOTES ................................................................................................................................................... 65
Question one ................................................................................................................................................ 65
Question two ................................................................................................................................................ 66
Question three .............................................................................................................................................. 66
Question four ................................................................................................................................................ 67
Questions for discussion ............................................................................................................................... 68
2
,Week 1 – Introduction to transnational criminal law and
transnational crimes
Lecture notes
Summary of the course
Globalization of societies ever-growing interdependence, digitalization, cross-border mobility and
(commercial ) transactions are fertile ground for transnational crimes. If you want to understand how
international crimes are committed, than it is often necessary to have some understanding of
transnational crimes. Hence, both international and domestic criminal lawyers ought to have affinity
with Transnational Criminal Law (hereafter, TCL) because:
1. Convergence between core and transnational crimes;
2. Domestic offences often possess transnational element or similar in nature.
The course aims to give insight into multi-faceted and complex nature of transnational crimes and the
legal regime that seeks to deal with them. The main focus is on substantive law and hence gaining
understanding of the nature and definitional elements of certain transnational crimes. However, the
course will also reflect on:
• The nature of TCL as a legal system and position vis-à-vis core ICL;
• Conceptual and practical challenges facing TCL: the inherent limitations of its regulatory
method, inefficiencies of its enforcement model, institutionalization and due process deficits.
Format and assessment
There are no seminars in week one and week seven. Even though attendance is strictly required, they
will not grade or check the presence. The assessment takes the form of a written exam (100% of the
grade) consisting of four open questions. The exam will be closed-book, but Conventions or other legal
sources will be provided. The exam takes two hours. Questions for seminars are very similar to exam
questions, so seize the opportunity by preparing and participating well, ask questions and request
feedback.
The position and relevance of TCL within the broader field of ICL lato sensu
Important!
Feature ICL Stricto Sensu ICL Lato Sensu
Scope Core international crimes Broader transnational crimes
Jurisdiction International tribunals (ICC, ICTY, National courts with international
ICTR, etc.) cooperation
Legal Rome Statute, Geneva UN conventions, bilateral/multilateral
Sources Conventions treaties
Enforcement Direct prosecution under State-based enforcement with international
international law coordination
TCL can be defined as: suppression by international law through domestic penal law of criminal
activities that have:
1. Actual or;
2. Potential transboundary effects or;
3. Transboundary moral impact.
3
, TCL is one of the branches of ICL lato sensu, entailing all aspects of criminal law that are significantly
determined by international law. Including also ICL stricto sensu and the international law on
jurisdiction and cooperation in criminal matters. In German Doctrine, internationals strafrecht is the
umbrella term used to include all international aspects of criminal law and criminal aspects of
international law.
There is no transnational criminal law court (yet); it is a state-driven system. This is different than ICL
stricto sensu which has a direct criminalization.
Unfortunately, within academia, the study of TCL is often neglected and overshadowed by ICL stricto
sensu. There are, according to Elies van Sliedregt, three reasons for that:
1. Its relative novelty, a lot of room for norm entrepreneurialism: a lot of concepts, principles and
definition in ICL is still uncertain which results in a lot of interest;
2. Core ICL’s story is easily to capture for the imagination;
3. Core ICL is a political and foreign policy tool: for example, in relation to the conflict in Ukraine,
we see that states use ICL as a tool to react to the conflict.
The practise of ICL is still very limited, in the end, and this is contrary to TCL. According to Sliedregt: “if
only for its practical value, in terms of ‘usefulness’ in practice, TCL deserves much more attention that
ICL. Those who work as criminal practitioners and policy makers will agree that TCL is much more part
of the day-to-day work than ICL is”.
Example to illustrate
Bolle Jos is a Dutch drug trafficker who was trialled in abesentia 24 years in prison. He was ‘lost’ for
a long time but recently spotted in Sierra Leonne. One of the only potential avenues to have Bolle
Jos extradited from Sierrea Leone is article 16 UNTOC. The most important treaty of TCL is the
UNTOC which also includes an element of extradition.
Both transnational crimes and international crimes are collective crimes; they require collective
organisation. The definition of organisation are largely similar. There is also substantive overlap and
synergies. Mégret therefore argues for a holistic, integrated study of ICL lato sensu which focuses on
commonalities and similarities rather than differences between different sub-branches such as ICL
stricto sensu and TCL.
What is a transnational crime?
According to the UNTOC (art. 3(2) 2000 UNTOC), it is an offence that satisfied one of a number of
alternative conditions:
• It is committed in more than one State;
• It is committed in one State but a substantial part of its preparation, planning, direction, or
control takes place in another State;
• It is committed in one State but involves an organized criminal group that engages in criminal
activities in more than one State;
• It is committed in one State but has substantial effects in another State.
4
Transnational Criminal Law – Transnational and International Criminal Law – 2024/2025
Lecture and tutorial notes Transnational Criminal Law (3064TCL4VY).
Table of content
WEEK 1 – INTRODUCTION TO TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW AND TRANSNATIONAL CRIMES ..................... 3
LECTURE NOTES ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Summary of the course ................................................................................................................................... 3
The position and relevance of TCL within the broader field of ICL lato sensu ................................................ 3
What is a transnational crime? ...................................................................................................................... 4
TCL as a legal system? .................................................................................................................................... 5
Enforcement of TCL ........................................................................................................................................ 6
WEEK 2 – TERORISM ........................................................................................................................................ 7
LECTURE NOTES ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 7
Terrorism as a transnational crime under the sectorial conventions ............................................................. 7
Draft comprehensive convention against international terrorism ............................................................... 11
Enforcing international counter-terrorism law ............................................................................................. 12
Terrorism as an international crime? ........................................................................................................... 13
Abuse and instrumentalization of terrorism and its challenges for human rights and freedoms ................ 14
TUTORIAL NOTES ................................................................................................................................................... 16
Problem-based question 1 ............................................................................................................................ 16
Problem-based question 2 ............................................................................................................................ 17
Question for discussion ................................................................................................................................. 19
WEEK 3 – DRUG TRAFFICKING AND TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME ..................................................... 21
LECTURE NOTES ..................................................................................................................................................... 21
Transnational organized Crimes (TOCs): origins and perceptions ................................................................ 21
The challenges of the different models of OCG ............................................................................................ 21
Transnational criminal Justice Architecture – General framework .............................................................. 22
UNTOC .......................................................................................................................................................... 22
Drug trafficking ............................................................................................................................................ 25
Drug Prohibition through International Law ................................................................................................ 27
Suppression Conventions .............................................................................................................................. 27
TOCs and Drug Trafficking: the challenges ................................................................................................... 31
TUTORIAL NOTES ................................................................................................................................................... 32
WEEK 4 – MARITIME PRIVACY ........................................................................................................................ 38
LECTURE NOTES ..................................................................................................................................................... 38
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 38
History .......................................................................................................................................................... 38
Origins and features ..................................................................................................................................... 38
Piracy definition ............................................................................................................................................ 39
Main elements of the crime.......................................................................................................................... 39
Other relevant provisions ............................................................................................................................. 40
Counterpiracy – UNSCH approved operation ‘Ocean Shield’ ........................................................................ 40
Challenges in the prosecution of suspected pirates – personal experiences ................................................ 41
TUTORIAL NOTES ................................................................................................................................................... 42
WEEK 5 – CORRUPTION AND MONEY LAUNDERING ....................................................................................... 45
1
, LECTURE NOTES ..................................................................................................................................................... 45
Corruption .................................................................................................................................................... 45
Money laundering ........................................................................................................................................ 48
TUTORIAL NOTES ................................................................................................................................................... 53
WEEK 6 – HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND MIGRANT SMUGGLING ....................................................................... 57
LECTURE NOTES ..................................................................................................................................................... 57
Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling–Historical Overview ................................................................ 57
Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling– Historical Overview ............................................................... 57
Relationship between UNTOC and its Protocols ........................................................................................... 57
Human Trafficking Protocol .......................................................................................................................... 58
Migrant Smuggling Protocol ........................................................................................................................ 60
Protection of victims and Interplay with other areas of International Law .................................................. 62
Migrant Smuggling vs. Human Trafficking –Differences .............................................................................. 63
Gendered critique ......................................................................................................................................... 63
Relationship Human Trafficking and Enslavement ....................................................................................... 64
Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................... 64
TUTORIAL NOTES ................................................................................................................................................... 65
Question one ................................................................................................................................................ 65
Question two ................................................................................................................................................ 66
Question three .............................................................................................................................................. 66
Question four ................................................................................................................................................ 67
Questions for discussion ............................................................................................................................... 68
2
,Week 1 – Introduction to transnational criminal law and
transnational crimes
Lecture notes
Summary of the course
Globalization of societies ever-growing interdependence, digitalization, cross-border mobility and
(commercial ) transactions are fertile ground for transnational crimes. If you want to understand how
international crimes are committed, than it is often necessary to have some understanding of
transnational crimes. Hence, both international and domestic criminal lawyers ought to have affinity
with Transnational Criminal Law (hereafter, TCL) because:
1. Convergence between core and transnational crimes;
2. Domestic offences often possess transnational element or similar in nature.
The course aims to give insight into multi-faceted and complex nature of transnational crimes and the
legal regime that seeks to deal with them. The main focus is on substantive law and hence gaining
understanding of the nature and definitional elements of certain transnational crimes. However, the
course will also reflect on:
• The nature of TCL as a legal system and position vis-à-vis core ICL;
• Conceptual and practical challenges facing TCL: the inherent limitations of its regulatory
method, inefficiencies of its enforcement model, institutionalization and due process deficits.
Format and assessment
There are no seminars in week one and week seven. Even though attendance is strictly required, they
will not grade or check the presence. The assessment takes the form of a written exam (100% of the
grade) consisting of four open questions. The exam will be closed-book, but Conventions or other legal
sources will be provided. The exam takes two hours. Questions for seminars are very similar to exam
questions, so seize the opportunity by preparing and participating well, ask questions and request
feedback.
The position and relevance of TCL within the broader field of ICL lato sensu
Important!
Feature ICL Stricto Sensu ICL Lato Sensu
Scope Core international crimes Broader transnational crimes
Jurisdiction International tribunals (ICC, ICTY, National courts with international
ICTR, etc.) cooperation
Legal Rome Statute, Geneva UN conventions, bilateral/multilateral
Sources Conventions treaties
Enforcement Direct prosecution under State-based enforcement with international
international law coordination
TCL can be defined as: suppression by international law through domestic penal law of criminal
activities that have:
1. Actual or;
2. Potential transboundary effects or;
3. Transboundary moral impact.
3
, TCL is one of the branches of ICL lato sensu, entailing all aspects of criminal law that are significantly
determined by international law. Including also ICL stricto sensu and the international law on
jurisdiction and cooperation in criminal matters. In German Doctrine, internationals strafrecht is the
umbrella term used to include all international aspects of criminal law and criminal aspects of
international law.
There is no transnational criminal law court (yet); it is a state-driven system. This is different than ICL
stricto sensu which has a direct criminalization.
Unfortunately, within academia, the study of TCL is often neglected and overshadowed by ICL stricto
sensu. There are, according to Elies van Sliedregt, three reasons for that:
1. Its relative novelty, a lot of room for norm entrepreneurialism: a lot of concepts, principles and
definition in ICL is still uncertain which results in a lot of interest;
2. Core ICL’s story is easily to capture for the imagination;
3. Core ICL is a political and foreign policy tool: for example, in relation to the conflict in Ukraine,
we see that states use ICL as a tool to react to the conflict.
The practise of ICL is still very limited, in the end, and this is contrary to TCL. According to Sliedregt: “if
only for its practical value, in terms of ‘usefulness’ in practice, TCL deserves much more attention that
ICL. Those who work as criminal practitioners and policy makers will agree that TCL is much more part
of the day-to-day work than ICL is”.
Example to illustrate
Bolle Jos is a Dutch drug trafficker who was trialled in abesentia 24 years in prison. He was ‘lost’ for
a long time but recently spotted in Sierra Leonne. One of the only potential avenues to have Bolle
Jos extradited from Sierrea Leone is article 16 UNTOC. The most important treaty of TCL is the
UNTOC which also includes an element of extradition.
Both transnational crimes and international crimes are collective crimes; they require collective
organisation. The definition of organisation are largely similar. There is also substantive overlap and
synergies. Mégret therefore argues for a holistic, integrated study of ICL lato sensu which focuses on
commonalities and similarities rather than differences between different sub-branches such as ICL
stricto sensu and TCL.
What is a transnational crime?
According to the UNTOC (art. 3(2) 2000 UNTOC), it is an offence that satisfied one of a number of
alternative conditions:
• It is committed in more than one State;
• It is committed in one State but a substantial part of its preparation, planning, direction, or
control takes place in another State;
• It is committed in one State but involves an organized criminal group that engages in criminal
activities in more than one State;
• It is committed in one State but has substantial effects in another State.
4
