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Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
The modern world is facing a new type of threat, where states are using criminal groups to conduct so-called “grey zone” operations that blur the lines between peace and war. This is the subject of a new article by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) published on rusi.org. Authors Robert Schuette and Luca Trenta analyse how countries such as Iran and Russia are using criminal networks to carry out covert operations that threaten not only individual states but also the foundations of the international order.
Criminals as an instrument of state interests
One striking example is the case uncovered by the US Department of Justice in January 2024. The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) organised a plot to assassinate an Iranian dissident and his companion. The operation involved drug trafficker Naji Sharifi Zindashti and two Canadian citizens, one of whom, Damion Ryan, is a member of the notorious Hells Angels criminal group. The criminals received an order worth USD 350,000 via the encrypted SkyECC platform. This case illustrates how states use criminal networks to achieve geopolitical goals while maintaining the appearance of “plausible deniability”.
Why do countries choose this path?
The authors of the article identify several reasons for the growth of such transactions:
- Expeditiousness and accessibility of technology: Encrypted platforms make it easy to coordinate actions involving both conscious and unconscious actors.
- Benefits for both sides: Cooperation between states and criminals brings not only political but also financial dividends.
- The cloak of “plausible deniability”: The use of proxy agents allows states to avoid direct responsibility.
- Response to sanctions: Russia and Iran, under sanctions pressure, have adapted their methods, using criminal networks to circumvent restrictions.
Violation of the “rules of the game”
Matvey Redhead, RUSI expert, notes that these operations are an example of “governance in bad faith” that distorts the established norms of international relations. Although intelligence has always operated in the shadows, modern methods, such as the involvement of criminal groups, are destroying the mutual recognition necessary for the functioning of the international community. For example, in 2024, Russia was accused of conspiring against German Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger as part of a wider campaign of sabotage.
Challenges and answers
The authors identify three main challenges:
- International cooperation: Transnational threats require coordination, but institutions such as Interpol or the UN often fail to take into account the geopolitical context of state-sponsored crime.
- Institutional gaps: Intelligence and law enforcement agencies in the states operate under different mandates, which makes it difficult to combat hybrid threats.
- Rethinking the threat: The combination of organised crime and state operations is a strategic attack on the international order that requires not only operational but also moral and analytical responses.
The role of the English School
The theoretical approach of the “English School” of international relations helps to understand these threats as a violation of legitimate practices. It proposes to distinguish between pluralistic approaches, where states coexist despite differences, and solidaristic approaches, where common values are pursued. This allows us to predict the behaviour of states and create new norms that limit destructive practices.
Conclusions.
The article emphasises the need to adapt to new realities where the boundaries between state and criminal acts are blurred. Democracies must defend themselves without losing their values. This requires new standards of international behaviour, enhanced cooperation and a rethinking of threats that go beyond traditional notions of intelligence or crime.
For a detailed analysis and recommendations, please visit the original article on the RUSI website.
