COVID-19 fuels transnational organised crime

The obervation was made by Director of Politics, Defence and Security Affairs, Jorge Cardoso speaking on behalf of the executive Secretary at the ongoing SADC chiefs of police sub-committee of the Inter-State Defence and Security meeting at Avani Hotel in Gaborone. Cardoso said the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spawn operational challenges on both national and regional policing terrains. He stated that similarly, criminal syndicates are abusing the cyber space and taking advantage of COVID-19 to propagate cyber crime, something that poses a great threat to the region’s socio-economic development, security and stability.

“This calls for member states to be innovative and embrace technology to enhance the fight against cyber crime. It is also disheartening to note that Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) has indeed registered a huge increase compromising fundamental human rights. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by SGBV as they continue to face the brunt of this social scourge, especially during Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.