Uncovering dark networks: A network analysis on how illegal trafficking is conducted in the maritime of Taiwan

Abstract

How is the dark (criminal) network different from the alight (or normal) network in the organization of economic activities? This is a longstanding question in criminology and social network research. Collaborating with the Coast Guard Administration of Taiwan, we answer the question by mining the maritime data from 2016 to 2018. In theory, traffickers are more likely to conceal their whereabouts by boarding different ships to diffuse police’s attention rather than using the same ship for illegal activity. We tested the hypothesis using the Exponential Random Graph Model (ERGM) to analyze actors’ co-boarding networks. To further understand how trafficking activities are chained up, dynamic network analysis is desired, yet it poses a challenge when data is voluminous. In the talk, I will invite the audiences to brainstorm how we can overcome the hurdle to have a better view of how criminal networks are formed and what measures can be adopted by law enforcers to disrupt the network.