Traffico illecito di armi via mare, criminalità transnazionale e sicurezza globale: verso un nuovo paradigma di legalità universale

This paper examines the phenomenon of illicit maritime arms trafficking within the framework of international law and EU law. The study aims to analyse the structural limitations of the legal regime governing maritime spaces. To this end, it reconstructs the complex international and European regulatory framework on the matter, establishing the necessary terminological parameters; subsequently, the analysis investigates conflicts of jurisdiction and the operational prerequisites for maritime security, before focusing on the enforcement mechanisms used to counter the phenomenon in practice and in jurisprudence, with specific regard to the Italian context. Finally, the study adopts a proactive approach, advancing the thesis that illicit maritime arms trafficking should be classified as a core crime of global relevance, thereby untethering the exercise of punitive jurisdiction from traditional parameters of vessel registration.