Overview

• The Tony Blair Institute released a blueprint on August 18 for an International Serious and Organised Crime Alliance modelled on the Five Eyes to tackle cross-border criminal enterprises.
• The plan is pitched as a response to the rise of decentralised, tech-enabled organised crime that generated an estimated $3.1 trillion in illicit proceeds in 2023.
• It outlines a tiered membership model pairing Five Eyes nations with France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway to pool intelligence and operational capacity.
• The alliance would deploy a tech-powered offensive—hacking, honeypot stings and AI-generated fake profiles—alongside joint sanctions to freeze assets and block criminal access to financial and residency systems.
• Former Interpol executive Sir Stephen Kavanagh endorsed the proposal but governments have yet to formally commit beyond recent domestic sanctions expansions.