Reported by Nneoma Omeje

Criminal networks in Southeast Asia are increasingly using the messaging app Telegram to coordinate their activities, reshaping the dynamics of organized crime, according to a report released by the United Nations on Monday.

The report follows legal charges against Telegram’s founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, in France, where he is accused of enabling criminal activity on the platform. The process is being conducted under a groundbreaking law with no international precedent.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warned that underground data markets are migrating to Telegram, with vendors actively seeking to collaborate with transnational organized crime groups based in Southeast Asia.

UNODC Deputy Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Benedikt Hofmann, stressed the app’s appeal to criminals, explaining that “for consumers, this means their data is at a higher risk of being fed into scams or other criminal activity than ever before.”

The report also highlights Southeast Asia’s growing role as a major hub for a multibillion-dollar industry driven by global fraud schemes.

Read full report: https://www.occrp.org/en/news/telegram-enables-se-asian-crime-networks-un-warns