Organized Crime In The New Millennium

Organized Crime: An Evolving Challenge for U.S. Law Enforcement
Contents
Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 1
Organized Crime Adapting to Globalization ................................................................................... 2
Borders and Organized Crime ................................................................................................... 3
Copycats and Smugglers ..................................................................................................... 3
Drug Trafficking.................................................................................................................. 7
Money Laundering .............................................................................................................. 9
Organized Crime and Technological Change .......................................................................... 11
Mass Marketing Fraud ...................................................................................................... 11
Cyberspace, Electronic Information, and Organized Crime.............................................. 13
Online Identity Theft and Sophisticated Credit Card Fraud.............................................. 13
Organized Retail Crime and Online Fencing .................................................................... 15
Bulk Narcotics Smuggling and Technology...................................................................... 16
Exploitation of Ethnic Diaspora Communities........................................................................ 18
Changing Structures ................................................................................................................ 21
Network Models................................................................................................................ 22
Corruption................................................................................................................................ 24
“Ground-Level” Exploitation of Private Businesses......................................................... 24
Big Business and Organized Criminals............................................................................. 25
Corruption of Public Officials........................................................................................... 27
Organized Crime, a “National Security” and “Public Security” Concern ..................................... 28
Conceptualizing Organized Crime .......................................................................................... 29
Transnational Organized Crime Defined........................................................................... 30
Statutory Definition........................................................................................................... 34
Issues.............................................................................................................................................. 35
Defining Organized Crime in Statute................................................................................ 35
Congressional Commission............................................................................................... 36
Incentives for Investigating Organized Crime .................................................................. 37
Implementing the National Strategy to Combat TOC ....................................................... 38
Figures
Figure 1. Transnational Organized Crime Strategy ....................................................................... 34
Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 40
Congressional Research Service