Global Scans · Crime · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Crime is morphing away from traditional methods to more sophisticated technological approaches. A decline of traditional hierarchical criminal groups and networks will be accompanied by the expansion of a virtual criminal underground made up of individual criminal entrepreneurs. At the same time, forward-looking agencies are equipping themselves with smart technologies to outfox the criminals. Keep up to date with crime changes below.

• [New] By application, AML dominated with 49.29% share in 2025; fraud and cyber-crime detection is the fastest growing at 13.71% through 2031. Mordor Intelligence
• [New] Law enforcement agencies in the United States tasked with securing the 2026 FIFA World Cup are expected to face growing threats from drones, artificial intelligence, and lone-wolf terrorist attacks. Caliber.az
• [New] The task force says it will apply total systemic friction to drug cartels and terrorist organizations, working alongside the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, an alliance of 18 Western Hemisphere partner nations. The Rio Times
• [New] The Transport for London (TfL) - supported trial will see Live Facial Recognition cameras deployed at stations selected by British Transport Police using intelligence and crime data. IanVisits
• [New] Sweden's Foreign Intelligence Service will be a civilian agency responsible for collecting and analyzing information on foreign threats, including terrorism, cyberattacks, and hostile states. SOF News
• [New] The FCA's expectations of cryptoasset firms continue to evolve, but the direction of travel is increasingly clear: firms are expected to demonstrate mature, risk-based and operationally effective financial crime controls, not simply policies that look adequate on paper. FINTRAIL
• [New] More than 49% of Australians worry about becoming victims of AI-related crime, with 43% identifying AI impersonation as a direct threat. The Guardian
• How Technology Can Help Prevent Car Theft in 2027 As vehicle theft continues to evolve, technology will play a major role in protecting cars and reducing crime in 2027. LinkedIn
• The common thread is Beijing's use of police activity rather than formal military drills to reduce the threat profile while asserting operational presence. CES Intelligence
• Americans are united in their opposition to Iran's unrelenting terrorism, executions, hostage takings, cyber-attacks, threats of assassination, and support of armed militias inside and outside their sovereign territory. NCRI
• Beyond the digital realm, CBAC 2026 served as a reminder that crime risks for youths are not confined to online spaces. Ministry of Home Affairs
• A further £86 million will go to the Metropolitan Police, while £41 million will be spent on national policing co-ordination and increased antisemitism capabilities to fund antisemitism training for all officers in England and Wales. RTE
• What began as a regional crime threat in parts of South-East Asia has become a global organized crime crisis. BiometricUpdate.com
• Criminal networks are expanding and broadening their operations, resulting in a convergence of dangers to public safety, public health, and democratic institutions, as well as an impact on global economic stability. Market Data Forecast
• Smart technologies such as police AI could help cities reduce crime by 30-40% and reduce response times for emergency services by 20-35%. Rev
• HSBC plans to add more than 200 AI use cases through an expanded Google Cloud partnership, with early priorities in customer personalization, financial-crime risk and staff productivity. Newsweek
• The Dubai Financial Services Authority systematically updates its Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorist Financing and Sanctions (AML) Module to respond to emerging ML / FT and PF risks, technological advancements and shifts in UAE legislation by publishing Rule-Making Instruments. AML UAE
• The US Department of Justice sent letters to election officials in every state threatening potential criminal charges for officials if noncitizens vote, an escalation in an ongoing push by the federal government. The Guardian
• A new executive order, issued by George W. Bush, allowed for the sanctioning of terrorist groups simply for threatening US interests broadly defined, without any necessary tie-in to the Middle East peace process. H-Diplo|RJISSF
• Genuine global security will not come from celebrating favourable statistics, but from consistently addressing the root causes - conflict, governance failure, and digital radicalization - that keep the underlying ideology of terrorism alive even as headline numbers fall. Riyasat IAS
• Technological advances, including artificial intelligence and data-driven tools, are transforming policing across the globe, offering new opportunities to improve situational awareness decision-making, and operational effectiveness. United Nations

Last updated: 22 August 2026