Organised crime menaces legitimate business and might lead to corruption

Purpose - It is not enough that international organisations take initiatives in the fight against organised crime. The nation states also have to adapt their domestic legal systems. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the implications for Switzerland in this context. Design/methodology/approach - The paper describes some of the Swiss preventive measures against corruption and briefly explains the Swiss legal provisions dealing with corruption. The prosecution and sanctioning of corruption is then outlined. The conclusion summarises the main facts and features. Findings - The attitude towards corruption has significantly changed over the last decade. Switzerland has adapted its legal provisions to this “new” attitude and chosen an approach that serves to protect itself against becoming a launderette for the proceeds of bribery. The main changes include efforts to raise awareness about corruption, the revision of the existing and introduction of new legal provisions applicable to corruption, the attribution of exclusive prosecutorial powers (under the conditions of article 340bispara 1 of the Criminal Code) to the confederation and finally the introduction of specific sanctions. Originality/value - The paper describes actions against organised crime from a Swiss perspective.