Turkey ranks 12th among 193 UN members on a newly published world criminality index. It ranks fifth in Asia among 46 states, after only Afghanistan, Myanmar, Iran and Iraq. 

This data was compiled by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), an independent civil society organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Its global network includes members in law enforcement, governance and development, all with the common goal of creating innovative strategies to combat organized crime. 

GI-TOC published its first index in November 2021, helping us put each country into a global perspective. The 188-page report analyzes aggregate data in several categories, including the location of the countries to evaluate how geography affects the criminality index. Landlocked or island or coastal states might have different vulnerabilities and see a stronger engagement with organized crime. 

The Turkish public has been bombarded with allegations and threats from Sedat Peker, a mafia boss in exile, for the last couple of years. Many of his claims involve top level Turkish politicians, sparking brawls between opposition and government members. For regular observers, all the names, alleged crimes and the extent of the financial and human cost of these activities are nearly impossible to follow. A report like this helps readers see where Turkey is on a global scale. It may also provide clues for why the Financial Action Task Force greylisted Turkey, raising a red flag for investors.