Uzbekistan ranks below global average for organized crime, but resilience remains weak – report

The report assigns Uzbekistan a score of 4.93 for organized crime, placing it 108th out of 193 countries. The figure is slightly below the global average of 5.08. However, the country received a resilience score of 3.83, ranking 140th worldwide, indicating relatively limited institutional capacity to prevent and respond to organized crime.

The report identifies human trafficking as Uzbekistan's most significant organized crime challenge, assigning the country a score of around 8.0 in that category. According to the authors, Central Asia continues to face risks associated with labor migration, smuggling, and transnational criminal networks. At the same time, Uzbekistan's overall level of organized crime remains lower than that of many neighboring countries.

Globally, Myanmar recorded the highest organized crime score at 8.08, followed by Colombia with 7.82, Mexico with 7.68, and Ecuador and Paraguay, each with 7.48. The report notes that many countries in Africa and Latin America continue to record particularly high levels of organized criminal activity.

By contrast, countries with the lowest levels of organized crime are largely concentrated in Western and Northern Europe, as well as parts of the Asia-Pacific region, where stronger institutions and governance frameworks contribute to greater resilience.

The 2025 edition of the index describes the world as being "at a crossroads," arguing that criminal networks are rapidly adapting to geopolitical shifts, technological advances, and economic instability.

Among the key global trends identified in the report are the declining role of heroin alongside rising cocaine and synthetic drug consumption, a sharp increase in financial and cybercrime, and the growing influence of foreign actors and private sector involvement in criminal markets.

The Global Organized Crime Index is an analytical tool that evaluates 193 countries using expert assessments, data, and analysis across 15 criminal markets, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, and financial crime, as well as 12 resilience indicators covering areas such as the justice system, international cooperation, and government transparency.

The index has tracked global trends since 2021. Its authors emphasize that it is not an official crime statistic but an analytical resource designed to support policymakers and researchers in assessing organized crime and institutional resilience.