International Organized Crime: What You Need to Know

Question 1 

In the city of Los Angeles and other major cities of the United States, the gang known bluntly as the Black Guerilla Family or BGF strikes terror to free citizens and other gang members alike. This gang is much like any other typical gang and was founded in 1966 by W. L. Nolen and George Jackson while they were imprisoned at San Quentin Prison in California’s Marin County. It has a strong foothold in almost all of America’s prison system and commands an ethnic soldier base of close to 300 full members and 40,000 to 50,000 associate members who are normally in and out of jail. Among its criminal activities are drug trafficking, homicide, robbery and auto theft. Recently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken positive strides in apprehending the elusive leadership structure of the Black Guerilla Family. In an article published last year, the federal authorities brought forth nine suspected leaders of this criminal enterprise and charged them with various forms or racketeering activities (Fenton, 2017). In addition to this, the efforts of the relevant authorities extend to the fact that they are closely monitoring the activities on the suspect list in order for them to build the relevant case in which they would present to the court. Moreover, former members of the BGF gang have also been contacted to provide applicable testimonies (Fenton, 2017).

Question 2 

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act became a full legislation in 1970 ("LII Supreme Court Bulletin ", 2017). This legislation has been put to use since that time to great effect. Numerous individuals and other crime organizations have faced the law through this single act. In addition, over the years, the law has undergone various amendments, and it has expanded to accommodate more charges. One such case is the one on the Gambino family. In this case that happened close to 30 years ago, eight members who had a solid reputation for being influential in running their affairs of organized crime received an indictment on the grounds of murder charges and a host of other charges related to racketeering. The basis of the case was primarily under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act. According to a grand jury, the crew had a lucrative enterprise that involved the circulation of credit cards that were forged, extortion, loan sharking and dealing with drugs and weapons. In light of all these charges brought forth under this single act, the perpetrators faced indictment depending on the different accounts of charges. In five independent indictments, the ringleader Mr. Giordano was charged under Rico Law and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment (Sullivan, 1991)

Question 3 

Over the years, organized crime has evolved to become ruthless and swift in their dealings. The employment of tactics and strategies has gained new ground causing havoc within the relevant authorities and all parties at stake. Inasmuch as some of the aspects are entirely new, much of it has evolved from the fundamentals of criminal enterprises of earlier days such as the American Mafia. Notably, the success of the Mafia precedes them. In all their endeavors, they were highly successful and effective that at one time the government collaborated with them in securing the eastern shipping ports in the wake of the attack on Perl Harbor. Part of their success is attributed to their moneymaking abilities and their cunning strategies in investing in people who perform their will. Money is an important aspect of any criminal enterprise and as such becomes the prime goal of racketeers. In addition, part of the problems that law enforcement encounters are from the criminal’s use of money to silence justice (Smith, Rush & Burton, 2013). Another significant strategy is the use of fear, threats and ruthlessness in executing disobedient actions. Through such acts, the Mafia became synonymous with sheer terror, and this made even the residents to be scared conveying relevant information to the authorities subsequently resulting in apprehension difficulties (Ratcliffe, Strang, Taylor, 2014).

Question 4 

The Italian Organized Crime Groups present a threat to the lives of numerous Americans and the governmental structures as a whole. Not only do they present themselves as a terrorist threat but they also appear fierce as a criminal enterprise organization that works to destabilize the economic progress of the United States of America. Therefore, their activities are twofold; one that produces or results in terror and the other that cripples financial institutions subsequently hurting the American economy profoundly. When it comes to being a terrorist organization, the Italian Organized Crime Groups poses an immediate threat. Through intimidation tactics and brutal force, such groups have killed scores of people in broad daylight, igniting a wave of terror among law-abiding citizens. Through retaliations and the taking of territories, mafia lieutenants usually unleash grim wars that result in psychological torture and persistent human rights violations. On the economy aspect, the problem of money laundering is synonymous with organized crime (Kumar, 2012). Through money laundering, criminal enterprises flood legitimate economies with “dirty” money consequently resulting in an inflation of prices in the economy (Saviano, 2015).

Question 5 

The Vory V Zakone translating to “thieves in law” was a minute brotherhood of criminals who got their authority and power from the Soviet gulags around the time that World War II was about to commence. Hence, the formation of the Russian Mafia took place. It was known by various names including the Bratva and Red Mafia (Russian Organized Crime, 2014). Divergent to most believers, the Vory V Zakone did not operate as one cohesive unit like the Italian and American Mafia but were made up of other different criminal networks that operated as autonomous groups. What these groups shared was an innate passion for all sorts of crimes that came their way. The Russian Organized Crime and more specifically the Red Mafia, in general, is one powerful network of criminal enterprises that is not specialized in one or two criminal activities but all criminal indulgences. In comparison to Mexican Cartels or the La Cosa Nostra, the Vory V Zakone indulges in any criminal activity it lays its hands on. The Mexican Cartels specialize in drug trafficking, while the La Cosa Nostra has a specialization in protection and extortion. On the contrary, the Vory V Zakone are keen on child trafficking, arms dealing, sexual slavery among a host of other criminal activities that have seen them rise from the ashes to become big contenders of organized crime in the world ( Varese, 2011 ).

Question 6 

In Japan, the Yakuza, which is quite an influential criminal organization that has wreaked havoc worldwide, continues to unleash a wave of terror and economic strife. The result of this wave of organized crime has been the crippling of the Japanese economy, and in as much as there are signs of improvement, the overall improvement would have been enormous were it not have been affected by the influence of the Yakuza. This criminal enterprise is evident in almost all facets of governance and administration, politics, businesses and even the social life (Gragert, 2010). The Japanese government needs to employ the use of specific measures to handle the Yakuza and their overall influence in the society. First, the government needs to establish the rule of law and offer justice to its people. One such way of ensuring justice is served is through the apprehension of individuals who are involved in organized crime together with their kingpins or bosses. Doing this guarantees that other aspirants who want to join such organizations are deterred from thinking along those lines. In addition, the government should utilize prosecutions done using taxation laws. Many of the businesses that go on in organized criminal enterprises are done overseas, and this entails trafficking and money laundering crimes. Therefore, the proper prosecution of such activities through taxation laws will result in a success rate in curbing the Yakuza. Finally, the government should employ the use of sound financial monitoring capabilities (“Canada: Department of Justice,” 2017). Through utilizing financial regulations, the money-oriented backbone of most criminal organization will be broken consequently resulting in an unavoidable degradation of the Yakuza as a criminal unit.

Question 7 

The strength of the United Bamboo, a member of the Triad Society rests in its sheer numbers. With an estimated force of up to 10,000 members, who consist mostly of second and third generation immigrants, it is easily the ultimate active gang in Taiwan. Its activities range from having and operating small businesses, brothels, collection of debt, construction, security services, the business of loan sharking among others. Inasmuch as they boast of high numbers, their fundamental strength lies in their code of ethics. Their first code and one that elicits tremendous interest states that their priority is the creation of harmony (“Taiwan's Triads,” 2017). They do this through the establishment of conversant personal and social connections so that they may not entice the notion of enmity firstly, within themselves and secondly, within their neighbors. This is by far what makes them successful in what they do since by harmonizing their activities, they accord themselves a business environment that is conducive, which leads them to have more business successes in the end. In stark contrast to other gangs, the second code of ethic emphasizes the need to use gang members who are not committed to acting as public relation managers to maintain a good relationship with outside people. This is different from other gangs who result to indiscriminate killing of uncommitted members because of mistrust. In using this second code of ethics, they ensure success by maintaining good relations with people and subsequently stable business activities. The third ethic that leads to their success is the one that clearly states the responsibility of members so as not to create confusion (Broadhurst & King Wa, 2009). Through affirming the responsibility of members, the gang is able to work effectively and accomplish their task in the minimal time possible.

Question 8 

After the fall of Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel in the early 1990s, the Cali Cartel took over as the new Kings of Cocaine. Taking the empire from Pablo Escobar, the Cali Cartel stepped up the cocaine operations, and their work was based on a business plan that eventually proved highly effective owing to the fact that it brought them great returns. One business plan they employed to their advantage was the use of capitalization (U.S. Department of Justice, 1994). Not only did they control overseas markets in the United States of America, but also they wanted control over the markets of Europe, which they knew would fetch quite a lot of money. Through capitalization of lucrative markets and ensuring that they had a foothold in them, the cartel was able to grow immensely from the proceeds they received. Another business plan they employed was the dissemination of tasks in the production process of cocaine. The Cali Cartel did not involve itself primarily with the whole production process. Instead, they bought cocaine paste from Bolivia and Peru and in turn processed it in clandestine laboratories in Columbia before shipping the finished product all over the world. In this way, they were able to accomplish their tasks quickly using minimal funds. Such business plan strategies can also be employed in real legitimate businesses ranging from manufacturing to importation (“Entrepreneur,” 2017).

Question 9 

The Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) have been a menace to the United States of America and the world in general. According to accounts stemming from the Drug Enforcement Agency of the U.S., there are predominantly four major DTOs: The Juarez/Vicente Carillo Fuentes organization, the Tijuana/Arellano Felix Organization, the Sinaloa Cartel, and the Gulf Cartel (González, 2015). These organizations have a strong grip on both the Mexican and the American side and for a long time have been the subject of concentration for most American drug agencies. Among them, the Sinaloa Cartel is presumed to be the largest and most influential in America as its riches span in almost every city in the nation. Over the course of the years, Mexican criminal gangs have been linked to various crimes including the trafficking of drugs such as methamphetamine, marijuana, recently manufactured synthetics such as opioid fentanyl, and the well-known cocaine. Recent strides in the fight against drugs by the law enforcement have seen the reduction in trafficking activities with the latest being the immediate extradition of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman to the United States of America on January 19, 2017 (Congressional Research Service, 2017). This in itself was a positive step in bringing the entire organizational network to its knees.

Question 10 

By far, the most effective investigative strategy that has worked in regards to the motorcycle gang is the determination of its organizational characteristics (“CSO,” 2017). Through determining the characteristics of an organization inclined to criminal activities, the organization itself becomes exposed, and one is able to apply efficient counter measures to mitigate its overall influence. In contrast, most criminal enterprises do not want to reveal the purpose of their organizations owing to this simple fact that once their hierarchies become known they would be exposed and essentially, the power and grip they had would be lost. Moreover, in mitigating the effects of the motorcycle gang, Title I of the Patriot Act gives monetary provisions to the federal government for the creation of a secret service that is tasked with designing a national crime task force based on an electronic platform (Orvis & rush, 2006). Such a provision ensures that the gang is put in check and when any related criminal activities take place, the authorities are able to receive prompt alerts.

References 

Broadhurst, R., King Wa, L. (2009). The Transformation of Triad ‘Dark Societies’ in Hong Kong: The Impact of Law Enforcement, Socio-Economic and Political Change. Security Challenges, 5 (4), 1-38

Canada: Department of Justice . (2017). Assessing the Effectiveness of Organized Crime Control Strategies: A Review of the Literature . Retrieved 22 May 2017, from http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/csj-sjc/jsp-sjp/rr05_5/p5.html 

Congressional Research Service, (2017). Mexico: Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking Organizations (pp. 1-32)

CSO . (2017). Investigative Tactics and Strategies . Retrieved 22 May 2017, from http://www.csoonline.com/article/2124987/investigations-forensics/investigative-tactics-and-strategies.html 

Entrepreneur . (2017). Sample Business Plans . Retrieved 22 May 2017, from http://www.entrepreneurmag.co.za/category/advice/sample-business-plans/ 

Fenton, J. (2017). Feds take another crack at Black Guerrilla Family crew after state case faltered Retrieved 22 May 2017, from http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-bgf-federal-indictments 20161117-story.html 

Fenton, J. (2017). Former BGF commander's testimony not enough as alleged shooter is acquitted Retrieved 22 May 2017, from http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-ci-bgf-cooperator-20170504-story.html 

González, F. (2015) Drug Trafficking Organizations and Local Economic Activity in Mexico. PLoS ONE 10 (9), 1-14

Gragert, L. (2010 Yakuza: The Warlords of Japanese Organized Crime. Academic Journals at GGU Law , 5 (2), 13-36

Kumar, V. (2012). Money Laundering: Concept, Significance and its Impact. European Journal Of Business And Management , 4 (2), 113-119.

LII Supreme Court Bulletin . (2017).    Cornell University Law School . Retrieved 22 May 2017, from https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/cert/07-1309 

Orvis, G. P., & Rush, J. P. (2006). Modern Gangsters and the Patriot Act 1.  Criminal Justice Studies ,  19 (2), 111-120.

Ratcliffe, J, Strang, S, Taylor, R (2014) Assessing the success factors of organized crime groups: Intelligence challenges for strategic thinking, Policing. International Journal of Police Strategies & Management , 37 (1), 206-227.

Russian Organized Crime. (2014).  Stanford Model United Nations Conference (pp. 3-20).

Saviano, R. (2015). Mafia Organizations Are More Dangerous Than Terrorist Groups. Retrieved 22 May 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/04/28/is-the-mafia-europes-new-security-threat/mafia-organizations-are-more-dangerous-than-terrorist-groups 

Smith, C., Rush, J., & Burton, C. (2013). Street Gangs, Organized Crime Groups, and Terrorists:

Differentiating Criminal Organizations.  Investigative Sciences Journal ,  5 (1), 1-15.

Sullivan, R. (1991). 8 Tied to Gambino Family Are Indicted in Racket Case. Retrieved 22 May 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/02/nyregion/8-tied-to-gambino-family-are-indicted-in-racket-case.html 

Taiwan's Triads . (2017). THE MAJOR TRIADS . Retrieved 22 May 2017, from http://orgcrime.tripod.com/taiwanstriads.htm 

U.S. Department of Justice. (1994).  The Cali Cartel: The New Kings of Cocaine (pp. 1-11).

Varese , F. (2011). HOW MAFIAS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GLOBALIZATION: The Russian Mafia in Italy.  British Journal of Criminology ,  5 (1), 1-15.