HCSS strategic advisor Tom Driessen: Organised crime is more than a law-enforcement challenge

On Wednesday, October 23, HCSS Strategic Advisor Tom Driessen highlighted the broader societal and national security implications of organised crime during a dinner hosted by Norwegian Ambassador to the Netherlands H.E. Erling Rimestad for a delegation of the Standing Committee on Police and Justice of the Norwegian Parliament.

Driessen opened the discussion by addressing how the influence of organised crime on society is changing, and whether traditional approaches to tackling it remain sufficient.

He emphasised the need to look beyond individual criminal organisations, incidents and seized assets. The illicit wealth generated by organised crime can flow back into the legitimate economy, potentially affecting markets, companies and institutions, and ultimately shaping social norms and values.

“We need to look beyond the money we seize – and ask what happens to the money we never see.”

Driessen argued that this requires moving beyond a narrow focus on ‘following the money’. Understanding where undetected illicit capital is invested, and what influence it may generate, is equally important.

The discussion underscored the importance of viewing organised crime not only as a police and justice issue, but also through the lenses of national security, societal resilience and international cooperation. These themes closely connect to HCSS research on transnational organised crime and social resilience.

The dinner provided an opportunity for an exchange of views between Norwegian parliamentarians and HCSS on the evolving societal impact of organised crime and the need for a broader, integrated response.

Driessen brings extensive experience in policing, international law enforcement and strategic security policy. He began his career as a police inspector in 1979 and went on to lead major investigations and investigative teams, serve as the first Director of the Netherlands’ National Bureau of Investigation and later as Deputy Director of Europol. He also served as Director of the National Bureau for International Police Cooperation, overseeing the Netherlands’ first police missions in UN and EU contexts. More recently, he led a multidisciplinary strategic knowledge and intelligence centre focused on organised international crime. As an independent strategic advisor and HCSS Non-Resident Strategic Advisor for Organised Crime & Policing, Driessen advises on international organised crime, policing and the development of security strategies.