Department against Transnational Organized Crime (DTOC)

Department against Transnational Organized Crime

Gastón Schulmeister

Director

The Department against Transnational Organized Crime (DTOC) was created in 2016 and its main purpose is to provide technical and legislative assistance to OAS Member States to confront and respond to transnational organized crime in its different manifestations. This Department is part of the Secretariat of Multidimensional Security.

The DTOC supports member states that require assistance based on mandates from the Organization and to comply with the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three Protocols (trafficking in persons; smuggling of migrants; and trafficking in firearms), as well as the Hemispheric Strategy against Transnational Organized Crime and other international instruments.

Additionally, the DTOC serves as the Technical Secretariat for various political and specialized forums within the OAS with jurisdiction over the subject matter. It also promotes cooperation projects among member states to strengthen their capacity to investigate and prosecute organized crime in diverse thematic areas, including:

Money laundering
Corruption, illicit financing, and asset recovery
Confiscation, management, administration, and liquidation of illicitly acquired assets
Environmental crimes and species protection
Illegal mining
Trafficking in persons
Smuggling of migrants
Illicit trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives, and related materials
Illegal trade and illicit economies
Cybercrime and the illicit use of cryptocurrencies
Artificial intelligence applied to combating organized crime

The DTOC develops these thematic areas based on the following lines of action:

Technical assistance, capacity building, and public policy development against Transnational Organized Crime
Development and implementation of instruments and regulatory frameworks
International cooperation on the subject
Support to OAS political bodies on matters related to Transnational Organized Crime

@OEA_DDOT

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More Projects

Highlighted Projects, Programs and Initiatives

RANDOT - Meeting of National Authorities on Transnational Organized Crime

Political forum for dialogue and international cooperation against Transnational Organized Crime in the Americas.

Main hemispheric forum to prevent and counter money laundering in the Americas

Group of Experts for the control of Money Laundering (GELAVEX)

Main hemispheric forum to discuss and propose lines of action to prevent and counter money laundering in the Americas

Meeting of Authorities on Trafficking in Persons

Political forum for decision-making on the prevention and confrontation of trafficking and the assistance and protection of victims

Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA)

CIFTA is the region's main tool to address the issue of the illicit proliferation and trafficking of firearms from a coordinated and transnational perspective.

A soldier checks two wooden structures floating in stagnant water

Fight against illegal mining finances

Capacity-building project for agencies responsible for combating the finances of illegal mining.

Control of Mercury Use in Gold Mining in the Americas

Project to Promote International Cooperation to Improve National Mercury Control Systems.

Combat Money Laundering

Support for strengthening systems against money laundering and the recovery of illicitly acquired assets through mechanisms such as non-conviction-based forfeiture (Asset Forfeiture).

Recovery of assets linked to money laundering and corruption

Project to strengthen state agencies to increase actions against money laundering and corruption.

Confiscation, management, administration, and liquidation of assets of illicit origin and destination

Program to develop and enhance systems for identifying, locating, and managing seized and confiscated assets.

Combatting Illegal Mining in the Americas: Strengthening Capacities to Control Heavy Machinery

Project for Standardizing Processes within the Chain of Entry, Registration, Tracking, Control, and Allocation of Heavy Machinery.

More Publications

Highlighted Publications

English Español Português Français

December, 2024

Key OAS Documents on Transnational Organized Crime Vol.1

Español

December, 2024

Approach to Risk Characterization of Money Laundering in the Cannabis Sector in Colombia

Available only in Spanish

Picture of a person doing artisanal mining

English

August, 2024

On the Trail of Illicit Gold Proceeds: Strengthening the Fight against Illegal Mining Finances (Guyana)

Español

March, 2024

Practical guide for inter-institutional coordination and proactive investigations of Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling: Colombia

Available only in Spanish

English Español

March, 2024

Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Financing of Illicit Activities in Suriname’s Banking Sector: Summary

Only available in English and Dutch. For Dutch, please click on the link for "Spanish"

Español

March, 2024

Guide for the investigation and litigation of crimes of Human Trafficking and Illicit Smuggling of Migrants linked to Transnational Organized Crime: Panama

Available only in Spanish