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Governance & Integrity

Organised Crime & Illicit Economy Response

The capacity to fight networks rather than incidents: standing units, intelligence-led operations, asset recovery and the cross-border cooperation that organised crime forces on every state. One of the capabilities of Internal Security & Order.

International families
3,3312015 to 2024
Leading country
United States1.2× the next
All families
8,424home filings included
Over five years
Falling2020 to 2024 against the five before

Year by year

Patent families by country of origin and the year of the earliest filing, 2000 to 2025; 2025 is a part year, still filling in. International families are those for which protection was sought beyond one country.

Volume

International patent families in the capability, by the year of the earliest filing.

Source: Global Institute for National Capability (GINC), 2026. Underlying patents from 107 patent offices, IFI CLAIMS and Google

Share by country

Each country's share of the year's international families, in per cent: the capability's five largest countries of origin, 2015 to 2024, and the rest of the world.

Source: Global Institute for National Capability (GINC), 2026. Underlying patents from 107 patent offices, IFI CLAIMS and Google

Country leaderboard

International patent families, 2015 to 2024, by country of origin. Growth compares the latest five full years with the five before.

Ten largest

United States

Japan

China

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Switzerland

South Korea

Canada

Italy

744

596

588

394

135

133

106

104

60

49

2000 to 2025
1United States74422.3%0.6×
1,196
2Japan59617.9%0.6×
975
3China58817.7%0.7×
4,152
4Germany39411.8%1.0×
458
5France1354.1%0.9×
182
6United Kingdom1334.0%0.5×
164
7Switzerland1063.2%0.6×
117
8South Korea1043.1%1.0×
426
9Canada601.8%0.8×
72
10Italy491.5%1.0×
70
11Australia491.5%0.8×
59
12Israel391.2%1.2×
48
13Taiwan270.8%0.5×
44
14Netherlands260.8%0.6×
28
15Austria250.8%0.9×
25
16Spain250.8%1.1×
32
17India220.7%0.6×
28
18Sweden210.6%0.3×
23
19Russia200.6%0.1×
76
20Belgium170.5%0.9×
19
21Singapore170.5%4.7×
20
22Türkiye150.5%1.1×
24
23Poland140.4%0.8×
26
24Finland120.4%0.7×
13
25Denmark100.3%0.7×
10
26Portugal90.3%3.5×
10
27Ireland80.2%1.0×
11
28South Africa70.2%0.4×
8
29Luxembourg60.2%0.0×
7
30Cayman Islands40.1%0.0×
4
31Brazil30.1%2.0×
18
32Saudi Arabia30.1%0.0×
8
33Malaysia30.1%–
3
34Hungary30.1%–
4
35Norway20.1%0.0×
2
36Hong Kong20.1%0.0×
5
37New Zealand20.1%0.0×
2
38Czechia20.1%–
3
39Mexico10.0%0.0×
6
40Liechtenstein00.0%–
1

Applicants

The largest applicants by international patent families, 2015 to 2024: across the world, then within each of the five countries with the most families in Organised Crime & Illicit Economy Response. Names are as held in the source and are not consolidated across subsidiaries.

Global

3,331 international families

NUCTECH CO LTD · China

UNIV TSINGHUA · China

GLORY KOGYO KK · Japan

GIESECKE & DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH · Germany

BUNDESDRUCKEREI GMBH · Germany

NUCTECH CO LIMITED · China

300

153

126

108

91

58

United States

744 international families

UNIV CALIFORNIA

SMITHS DETECTION INC

VIKEN DETECTION CORP

RAPISCAN HOLDINGS INC

SPECTRA SYSTEMS CORP

NCR CORP

15

14

14

13

13

12

Japan

596 international families

GLORY KOGYO KK

TOSHIBA KK

TOSHIBA CORP

NEC CORP

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

FUJITSU FRONTECH LTD

126

58

56

30

24

23

China

588 international families

NUCTECH CO LTD

UNIV TSINGHUA

NUCTECH CO LIMITED

GRG BANKING EQUIPMENT CO LTD

NUCTECH BEIJING COMPANY LTD

SAME PARTY WEIVISION TECH CO LTD

300

153

58

26

26

22

Germany

394 international families

GIESECKE & DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH

BUNDESDRUCKEREI GMBH

GIESECKE & DEVRIENT GMBH

GIESECKE DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECH GMBH

BOSCH GMBH ROBERT

SMITHS DETECTION GERMANY GMBH

107

91

46

38

15

11

France

135 international families

SMITHS DETECTION FRANCE S A S

VIENNE AYMERIC

SMITHS HEIMANN SAS

CENTRE NAT RECH SCIENT

IDEMIA IDENTITY & SECURITY FRANCE

SMITHS DETECTION FRANCE

30

20

17

14

13

12

Similar capabilities

The nine capabilities that share the most international patent families with Organised Crime & Illicit Economy Response, 2015 to 2024: the families counted in both as a share of those counted in either. Each card shows its five largest countries.

Trade & Investment

Customs & Border Management

22.3% shared · 818 families in both

China

United States

Japan

Germany

South Korea

418

233

115

64

57

Strategic Infrastructure

Currency & Reserves

22.0% shared · 1,497 families in both

Japan

Germany

United States

China

United Kingdom

1,521

908

657

355

213

Financial Strength

Currency Issuance & Digital Money

8.0% shared · 1,496 families in both

United States

Japan

China

South Korea

Germany

4,952

2,438

1,902

1,526

1,399

Governance & Integrity

Legal Identity & Civil Registration

2.7% shared · 109 families in both

Germany

France

United States

Japan

United Kingdom

277

114

94

93

60

Strategic Infrastructure

Logistics, Multimodal & Border Infrastructure

2.5% shared · 830 families in both

United States

Japan

China

Germany

South Korea

7,338

5,665

3,834

2,960

2,293

Strategic Infrastructure

Government & Public Administration

1.6% shared · 151 families in both

United States

China

Japan

South Korea

Germany

1,294

1,225

1,062

878

391

Critical Technology

Radar & Radiofrequency Sensing

1.3% shared · 342 families in both

United States

Japan

Germany

China

South Korea

5,643

4,132

3,729

2,886

1,890

Financial Strength

Banking System Capacity

1.2% shared · 99 families in both

United States

China

Japan

South Korea

Canada

1,677

722

638

486

297

National Security

Technical & Measurement Intelligence

1.0% shared · 37 families in both

United States

Germany

Japan

South Korea

China

137

98

70

45

24

Crosswalk

How Organised Crime & Illicit Economy Response is matched to the patent classifications. The entries below were chosen for it; each stands for itself and everything beneath it in the scheme, 80 Cooperative entries in all. A patent family counts when any of its codes, in either scheme and at any office, falls under one of them. Codes since retired are placed under the entries that replaced them.

EntryTitle in the schemeWhy it is chosenCPC codesIPC codesDocuments
G01V5/20Detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objectsRadiation screening for weapons, explosives and contraband12524,630
G01S13/887Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for detection of concealed objects, e.g. contraband or weaponsRadar detection of concealed weapons or contraband2none5,629
G01N33/94Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing involving narcotics or drugs or pharmaceuticals, neurotransmitters or associated receptorsTests for narcotics and other drugs in body samples15122,281
G07D7/00Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currencyTesting the genuineness of banknotes and valuable papers723485,340
G06Q40/024Anti-fraud, anti-money laundering or know-your-customerAnti-fraud and anti-money-laundering systems1none236

CPC and IPC codes are the codes in use on patent documents, at any office, that fall under the entry. Documents is the larger of the two schemes' counts of documents carrying one of them. An entry with no IPC codes can be told apart only in the Cooperative scheme.

The Cooperative codes in use that count towards Organised Crime & Illicit Economy Response: 102 codes on 133,630 documents. The full crosswalk is in the cpc-to-capability.csv download.

CodeTitleUnder entryHow placedDocuments
G07D7/12Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiationG07D7/00In the scheme13,294
G01N33/94Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing involving narcotics or drugs or pharmaceuticals, neurotransmitters or associated receptorsG01N33/94In the scheme7,995
G01V5/22Active interrogation, i.e. by irradiating objects or goods using external radiation sources, e.g. using gamma rays or cosmic raysG01V5/20In the scheme6,815
G07D7/1205Testing spectral propertiesG07D7/00In the scheme6,180
G07D7/121Apparatus characterised by sensor detailsG07D7/00In the scheme4,949
G07D7/04Testing magnetic properties of the materials thereof, e.g. by detection of magnetic imprintG07D7/00In the scheme4,693
G01S13/887Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for detection of concealed objects, e.g. contraband or weaponsG01S13/887In the scheme4,108
G01V5/20Detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objectsG01V5/20In the scheme3,974
G07D7/20Testing patterns thereonG07D7/00In the scheme3,872
G07D7/003Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using security elementsG07D7/00In the scheme3,739
G07D7/128Viewing devicesG07D7/00In the scheme3,357
G07D7/00Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currencyG07D7/00In the scheme3,218
G07D7/004Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or stripG07D7/00In the scheme3,018
G01V5/226Active interrogation, i.e. by irradiating objects or goods using external radiation sources, e.g. using gamma rays or cosmic rays using tomographyG01V5/20In the scheme2,972
G01V5/222Active interrogation, i.e. by irradiating objects or goods using external radiation sources, e.g. using gamma rays or cosmic rays measuring scattered radiationG01V5/20In the scheme2,820
G07D7/0032Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using security elements using hologramsG07D7/00In the scheme2,039
G01N33/948Sedatives, e.g. cannabinoids, barbituratesG01N33/94In the scheme2,034
G01V5/224Multiple energy techniques using one type of radiation, e.g. X-rays of different energiesG01V5/20In the scheme2,032
G01N33/9486Analgesics, e.g. opiates, aspirineG01N33/94In the scheme1,901
G07D7/0047Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip using checkcodes, e.g. coded numbers derived from serial number and denominationG07D7/00In the scheme1,885
G07D7/206Matching template patternsG07D7/00In the scheme1,829
G07D7/2033Matching unique patterns, i.e. patterns that are unique to each individual paperG07D7/00In the scheme1,805
G07D7/005Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterationsG07D7/00In the scheme1,802
G07D7/0043Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip using barcodesG07D7/00In the scheme1,771
G01N33/9406NeurotransmittersG01N33/94In the scheme1,711
G07D7/01Testing electronic circuits thereinG07D7/00In the scheme1,695
G07D7/2016Testing patterns thereon using feature extraction, e.g. segmentation, edge detection or Hough-transformationG07D7/00In the scheme1,651
G01V5/232Active interrogation, i.e. by irradiating objects or goods using external radiation sources, e.g. using gamma rays or cosmic rays having relative motion between the source, detector and object other than by conveyorG01V5/20In the scheme1,598
G01S13/888Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications for detection of concealed objects, e.g. contraband or weapons through wall detectionG01S13/887In the scheme1,521
G01N33/9446AntibacterialsG01N33/94In the scheme1,500
G07D7/164ThicknessG07D7/00In the scheme1,437
G07D7/202Testing patterns thereon using pattern matchingG07D7/00In the scheme1,422
G07D7/205Matching spectral propertiesG07D7/00In the scheme1,335
G01N33/946CNS-stimulants, e.g. cocaine, amphetaminesG01N33/94In the scheme1,288
G07D7/0034Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using security elements using watermarksG07D7/00In the scheme1,275
G01N33/9493ImmunosupressantsG01N33/94In the scheme1,258
G01V5/26Passive interrogation, i.e. by measuring radiation emitted by objects or goodsG01V5/20In the scheme1,147
G07D7/207Matching patterns that are created by the interaction of two or more layers, e.g. moiré patternsG07D7/00In the scheme1,074
G07D7/06Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using wave or particle radiationG07D7/00In the scheme1,059
G07D7/2008Testing patterns thereon using pre-processing, e.g. de-blurring, averaging, normalisation or rotationG07D7/00In the scheme984
G07D7/187Detecting defacement or contamination, e.g. dirtG07D7/00In the scheme977
G01N33/942Serotonin, i.e. 5-hydroxy-tryptamineG01N33/94In the scheme944
G07D7/181Testing mechanical properties or condition, e.g. wear or tearG07D7/00In the scheme942
G07D7/162Length or widthG07D7/00In the scheme889
G01V5/281Detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objects detecting special nuclear material [SNM], e.g. Uranium-235, Uranium-233 or Plutonium-239G01V5/20In the scheme863
G07D7/17Apparatus characterised by positioning means or by means responsive to positioningG07D7/00In the scheme863
G01N33/9413DopamineG01N33/94In the scheme789
G01N33/9453Cardioregulators, e.g. antihypotensives, antiarrhythmicsG01N33/94In the scheme765
G07D7/026Testing electrical properties of the materials thereof using capacitive sensorsG07D7/00In the scheme750
G07D7/183Detecting folds or doublesG07D7/00In the scheme713
G01V5/234Measuring induced radiation, e.g. thermal neutron activation analysisG01V5/20In the scheme700
G01V5/223Mixed interrogation beams, e.g. using more than one type of radiation beamG01V5/20In the scheme694
G01V5/271Detecting prohibited goods, e.g. weapons, explosives, hazardous substances, contraband or smuggled objects using a network, e.g. a remote expert, accessing remote data or the likeG01V5/20In the scheme645
G07D7/08Acoustic wavesG07D7/00In the scheme633
G07D7/14Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using chemical meansG07D7/00In the scheme601
G07D7/16Testing the dimensionsG07D7/00In the scheme567
G01N33/9426GABA, i.e. gamma-amino-butyrateG01N33/94In the scheme549
G01N33/944AcetylcholineG01N33/94In the scheme478
G07D7/2075Setting acceptance levels or parametersG07D7/00In the scheme437
G07D7/185Detecting holes or poresG07D7/00In the scheme435
G07D7/2041Matching statistical distributions, e.g. of particle sizes orientationsG07D7/00In the scheme421
G07D7/02Testing electrical properties of the materials thereofG07D7/00In the scheme418
G01N33/9466AntidepressantsG01N33/94In the scheme401
G01N33/9433(Nor)adrenalineG01N33/94In the scheme389
G01V5/228Active interrogation, i.e. by irradiating objects or goods using external radiation sources, e.g. using gamma rays or cosmic rays using stereoscopic meansG01V5/20In the scheme370
G07D7/189Detecting attached objects, e.g. tapes or clipsG07D7/00In the scheme369
G07D7/182Testing stiffnessG07D7/00In the scheme324
G01N33/9473Anticonvulsants, e.g. phenobarbitol, phenytoinG01N33/94In the scheme279
G07D7/2083LearningG07D7/00In the scheme274
G07D7/10MicrowavesG07D7/00In the scheme242
G06Q40/024Anti-fraud, anti-money laundering or know-your-customerG06Q40/024In the scheme236
G07D7/0056Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations involving markings the properties of which are altered from original properties involving markings of altered coloursG07D7/00In the scheme209
G07D7/0053Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations involving markings added to a pattern, e.g. interstitial pointsG07D7/00In the scheme189
G07D7/122Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group143
G07D7/15Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using heating meansG07D7/00In the scheme137
G07D7/0054Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations involving markings the properties of which are altered from original propertiesG07D7/00In the scheme126
G07D7/023Measuring conductivity by direct contactG07D7/00In the scheme117
G07D7/0055Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations involving markings the properties of which are altered from original properties involving markings displaced slightly from original positions within a patternG07D7/00In the scheme82
G07D7/2091Setting a plurality of levelsG07D7/00In the scheme76
G07D7/0057Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations involving markings the properties of which are altered from original properties involving markings which are altered in dimension, e.g. thickened linesG07D7/00In the scheme67
G07D7/124Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group66
G07D7/0006Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group62
G07D7/0051Testing security markings invisible to the naked eye, e.g. verifying thickened lines or unobtrusive markings or alterations involving markings removed from an original patternG07D7/00In the scheme51
G07D7/2058Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group47
G07D7/2025Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group36
G07D7/0033Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group29
G07D7/0046Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group25
G07D7/0026Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group22
G07D7/168Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group19
G07D7/18Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group16
G07D7/2066Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group16
G07D7/0093Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group15
G07D7/002Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group11
G07D7/125Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group9
G07D7/127Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group9
G07D7/166Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group9
G07D7/0066Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group7
G07D7/0013Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group6
G07D7/0073Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group6
G07D7/0086Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group4
G07D7/008Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group3
G07D7/006Retired codeG07D7/00Retired, by main group2
Match: Through its tools
The classification names the equipment or technology the capability draws on, not the capability. The count says how much is being invented for it, not how well it is done. Captures contraband screening, drug testing and counterfeit detection; the radar and anti-money-laundering entries are CPC only, drug tests include clinical drug monitoring, and intelligence-led operations are not captured. The crosswalk is a first pass that nobody has reviewed.

Other capabilities in Internal Security & Order