Jones warns organized crime is increasingly tech-savvy

Jones said many of these criminal organizations as recently as the 1990s were limited in their use of technology and had minimal links to other organizations such as drug cartels or terrorist groups. Thanks to the spread of the Web that has changed, and now Jones warned that such criminal groups are rapidly expanding and diversifying their operations.

“If we do not act together to prevent them, these trends will only continue to intensify in the years to come. And that is something that should concern all our nations. In a world full of transnational threats, transnational crime is in an ascendant phase,” Jones said.

Jones said developing countries often harbor these criminals without intending to, making it vital for the U.S. to support the development of law enforcement and government in those nations.

“This means proactively supporting such countries in their efforts to build accountable, transparent, and capable institutions that can enforce the rule of law and act as our partners to counter these threats. Waiting until it is too late is not a good answer,” Jones said.

To combat the rising international threat, Jones called for increased cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the U.S., Russia and other nations with a focus on denying criminals access to the boardroom or the international financial system. He also called for tighter border security involving increased use of watch lists and biometric validation of identities.