Eugenio Zoffili addresses OSCE event in Vienna, 21 April 2026VIENNA, 21 April 2026 – At the launch of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s research study “The Human Cost of Crime: The Harrowing Link Between Human and Drug Trafficking” in Vienna, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President Eugenio Zoffili (Italy) emphasized the importance of international co-operation, zero tolerance for traffickers, and effective protection for victims.

Today’s event brought together policymakers, law enforcement, civil society, and international organizations to address the growing convergence between human trafficking and drug-related crime across the OSCE region.

In his capacity as OSCE PA Special Representative on Combating Organized Crime, Zoffili noted that the new study clearly demonstrates the link between human and drug trafficking, highlighting the need for integrated strategies that address both crimes, with a focus on prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership.

Praising the work carried out by Dr. Kari Johnstone as OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in this context, Zoffili underlined that “human trafficking and drug trafficking are two sides of the same coin.”

“Organized networks brutally exploit vulnerable individuals, turning them into commodities for criminal gain. There is no justification for these actions,” he said.

The Special Representative stressed that the international response to these crimes must be clear and resolute: prosecution, asset confiscation, and the dismantling of networks. “It is the moral duty of each and every one of us to combat these dangerous criminals by using all means and capacities at our disposal,” Zoffili said. “Together, we will win this battle.”

The OSCE PA’s commitment to fighting this scourge will be reaffirmed in Rome (Italy) on 14–15 May during the Inter-parliamentary Conference on the Fight against Drugs and Organized Crime in the OSCE Region. The event, hosted by the Italian Chamber of Deputies, will represent a further opportunity to translate the commitments undertaken in fora such as this into operational action, Zoffili concluded.

For more information on the work of the OSCE PA Special Representative on Combating Organized Crime, please click here.