Introduction to Organized Crime Investigation

The community we live does not only consist of family oriented and hardworking people,
but also deviant ones such as the elite organized crime groups , preying on innocent
persons, corrupt public and private officials and the like. There is lucrative drug trade,
human trafficking, sex abuses, illegal gambling, terrorism and other transnational crimes.
This suffering through this dire time of global recession, if there is no active and political will
involvement of all sectors towards resolving this menace, would result to chaos and much
loss of lives.

           

ORGANIZED CRIME: Definitions

Ø  Is any crime committed by a person occupying in an established division of labor, a

position designed for the commission of crimes providing that such division of labor
includes at least one position for a corrupter, one position for a corruptee and one position
for an enforcer. – Donald Cressey

Ø  It refers to a system of crime in which a group of individuals create and maintain a
corporate-like organization, its members having individually-recognized responsibilities and
obligations.

Ø  It is a profit-motivated, and highly-capable group of persons or an enterprise, organized

to undertake widespread, regular or long-term, large-scale, high-profile and diversified
criminal activities that has impact to the economy and national security.

Ø  Group activities of three or more persons, with hierarchical links or personal relationships,
which permits their leaders to earn profits or control territories or markets, internal or
foreign by means of violence, intimidation or corruption, both in furtherance of criminal
activity and to infiltrate the legitimate economy.

Ø  A transnational grouping of highly centralized enterprise run by criminals for the purpose
of engaging in illegal activity most commonly for the purpose of generating monetary
profit.

Ø  All illegal activities engaged in by members of criminal syndicates operative throughout

the United States and all illegal activities engaged in by known associates and confederates
of such members – United States Department of Justice

 
It is sometimes referred to as the MOB, MAFIA, SYNDICATE or the COSA NOSTRA which are
known as the ENEMY WITHIN, THE SECOND GOVERNMENT, THE FIFTH STATE OR CRIME
CONFEDERATION.

ATTRIBUTES/CONVENTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

1. HAS NO POLITICAL GOALS

- An Organized Crime Group is not motivated by social, political beliefs, or ideological

concerns.  - its goals are money and profit.

-even though political involvement maybe a part of the group activities, the purpose is
usually to gain protection or immunity for its illegal activities.

2. IS HIERARCHICAL- an OCG has a vertical power structure with at least three(3)

permanent ranks – not just a leader and followers – each with authority over the level
beneath.

3. LIMITED/EXCLUSIVE MEMBERSHIP

-           An OCG significantly limits membership. Qualifications may be based on:

-           ethnic background

-           kinship

-           race 

-           criminal record;

-           similar considerations 

4. CONSTITUTES A UNIQUE SUBCULTURE

-           Sometimes referred to as “The Underworld”

-           Members of OC view themselves as distinct from conventional society, which they

frequently view with derision if not contempt, and therefore not subject to its rules. 

5. PERPETUATES ITSELF

-              An OCG constitutes an ongoing criminal conspiracy designed to persist through

time, that is, beyond the life of the current membership.
-              Permanence is assumed by the members and this provides an important basis for
attracting qualified persons to the group thus perpetuating the group’s existence. 

6. EXHIBITS WILLINGNESS TO USE VIOLENCE AND BRIBERY

-           In an OCG, violence is readily available and routinely accepted resource. Access to
private violence is an important dimension that allows the group to actively pursue its goals.

-           When necessary, the OCG will resort to bribery to protect its operations or
members. 

-           The use of violence and bribery is not restricted by ethical considerations but rather,
is controlled only by practical limitations.

7. SPECIALIZATION/DIVISION OF LABOR

- An OCG will have certain functional positions filled by qualified members.

(a) Enforcer

- this person carries out difficult assignments involving the use of violence including murder,
in a rational manner. The enforcer may use member or non-members.

(b)  Fixer

-developing contacts with criminal justice or political officials and arranges for corruption.

(c)  Money mover 

- expert at laundering illicitly obtained money.

8. MONOPOLISTIC

-           An OCG eschews(avoid) competition.

-           It strives for hegemony (domination) on a particular geographic area, a particular

industry, legitimate or illegitimate or a combination of both. 

9. GOVERNED BY RULES AND REGULATIONS

-            An OCG like a legitimate organization has a set of rules and regulations that
members are expected to follow.  OMERTA – the mafia’s code of secrecy and informal,
unwritten code of organized crime, which demand silence and loyalty among other thing, of
family members.

-            “Code of Silence” -non-cooperation with the authorities whenever arrested

-             

CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANIZED CRIMES

1.       It is a conspiracy activity involving coordination of members.

2.       Economic gain is achieved through illegal means.

3.       Economic gain is the primary goal

4.       Employs predatory tactics such as intimidation, violence and corruption.

5.       Effective control over members, associates, and victims.

6.        

TRADITIONAL NOTIONS OF ORGANIZED CRIME

1.       A series of interconnected mutually beneficial relationships to further criminal

activities so that money and power can be maximized to every extent possible. Material gain
is the primary goal of the operations. 

2.       Consists of an enforced hierarchical structure, in which efforts are directed toward

conspiratorial activities of an ongoing nature. Involves the coordination of an organizational
structure and associated personnel. Utilizes effective means of controlling and disciplining
its members. 

3.       Involved in a number of profit making operations, from basic illegal “business”

activities such as gambling, prostitution, adult entertainment, to more complex activities
such as money laundering and computer crimes. 

4.       Various levels of the threat of violence to actual violence are employed in order to
ensure objectives are obtained. 

5.       Organized crime is not to be confused with terrorist activities, for which the goal of
action is primarily political in nature. However, the types of crimes committed,
organizational structure and tactics against others may be similar in nature. 
6.       Serious effort is directed toward organizational maintenance, cash flow, personnel
discipline and ongoing “business” operations. 

7.       It seeks to be immune from the reaches of legitimate lawful authority. 

8.       Various activities generally include: gambling, loan sharking, drugs, prostitution,

various forms of adult oriented entrainment, extortion, bribery, embezzlement, fraud,
fencing activities, union operations, auto theft, cargo theft, credit card crimes, vending
machines, trash collection and waste disposal, other smuggling activities, etc. 

9.       Key aspects: structure, profit continuity, monopoly, relative immunity, power and
control.

ORGANIZED CRIME TODAY

Organized Crime Includes:

1.       Russian Mobsters who fled to the U.S. in the wake of the Soviet Union’s collapse.

2.       Groups from African countries like Nigeria that engage in drug trafficking and
financial scams.

3.       Chinese tongs, Japanese Boryukodan, and other Asian crime rings.

4.       Enterprises based in Eastern European nations like Hungary and Romania.

7.       Organized crimes does not include terrorist dedicated to political change.

LESSON 5 HOW OCG WORKS

 

HOW ORGANIZED CRIME GROUPS WORKS

For an OCG to work there must be:

1. AN ENFORCER
 -one who make arrangements for killing and injuring (physically, economically,
psychologically) the members or non-members.

2. A CORRUPTER

 -one who bribes, intimidates, threatens, negotiates and sweet talks into a relationship with
the police, public officials or any else who might help the members security and maintain
immunity from arrest, prosecution and punishment.

3. A CORRUPTEE

 - A public official usually not a member of the organization family, who can wield influence
on behalf of the organizational interest.

CATEGORIES OF OC BEHAVIOR

1. PROVISION OF ILLICIT SERVICES

 - Illicit services are those that legitimate businesses do not provide and which are punished
by law. Included are:

a. Gambling Operations

-           Act outside the law and offer a financial tax incentive for those who use this service. 

b. Protection Rackets

-           A form of extortion by which OC members approach owners of small businesses and
offer them ‘Protection’ for the business in case of unforeseen misfortune such as fire and
vandalism.

c. Loan Sharking

-           Illegal lending of money at usurious rates whose payment is enforced through

violence and intimidation.

d. Prostitution

-           The sale of sex acts by persons acting as part of a large organization.

2. PROVISION OF ILLICIT GOODS

 - Goods which are not available in legitimate society (illegal drugs) including marijuana,
cocaine and heroin, pornography, unregistered guns and stolen goods.

3. CONSPIRACY

-           An arrangement between two or more people to violate the law.

-           In most cases, OC members work in concert with each other for the purpose of
selling illegal drugs or stolen property, loan sharking, gambling and other activities related
to OC.

4. PENETRATION OF LEGITIMATE BUSINESS

 - Penetration of the legitimate business to conceal illicit revenues and an opportunity to

hide behind a cloak of legitimacy in the community to avoid suspicion by citizens and
detection of the police.

5. EXTORTION

          - A form of theft; the use or threatened use of violence or force to achieve a criminal
end.

6. CORRUPTION

 - Aid of public and private figures such as law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors,
mayors, banker, attorneys, accountants, and elected and appointed persons at all levels of
government.

FIVE(5) LEVELS OF OC

1. THE CRIMINAL GROUP

 - Represents the core of the organized crime unit, made up of persons who utilize
criminality, violence and a willingness to corrupt in order to gain Power and Profit.

Characteristics:

a. Continuity – organization continues to operate beyond the lifetime of individual

members. b. Structure – hierarchically arranged

c.       Membership – ethnicity, race, criminal background, common interest

d.      Criminality – supplying illegal goods and services

e.       Violence – employed as a means of control and protection for members and non-
members f. Power and Profit – main goal

2. THE PROTECTORS

 - Include corrupt public officials, business persons, judges, attorneys, financial advisor and
others, who individually or collectively protect the interests of the criminal group through
abuses of their status or by breeching their vested authority.

3. SPECIALIZED SUPPORT

-           Heavily skilled persons, these people do not share a commitment to the groups
goal’s but they are considered part of OC.

-           Persons who provide contract services that facilitate organized crime activities.

4. USER SUPPORT

 - Provides the criminal group with their audience of consumers, persons who purchase OC’s
illegal goods and services.

          Drug Users

          Patrons of Bookmakers

          Prostitution Rings

          People who knowingly purchase stolen goods

5. SOCIAL SUPPORT

          - Grant power and the perception of legitimacy to OC in general to specific members
of the criminal group.

          Politicians who solicit the support of OC figures

          Business leaders who do business with OC

          Social and Community leaders who invite OC

 
  

MODELS OF OC

1. CRESSEY’S COSA NOSTRA MODEL

-           Donald Cressey (1967), described this OC model in a bureaucratic structure different

from that adopted by governmental bureaucracies.

-           The primary unit of the La Cosa Nostra is the “Family”

-           The family is protected by a code of conduct for members which prohibits them
from revealing organizational secrets. 

The hierarchy includes:

a. BOSS – the supreme leader. Oversees all organizational endeavors and has the final word
on decisions involving all aspects of family business.  They are often older members of the
family.

b. CONSIGLIERE/COUNSELOR

          - A close associate of the boss who enjoys a considerable amount of influence and
status in the family  - Serves as the boss’ trusted advisor. 

c. UNDERBOSS 

Next highest position in the family who works at the pleasure of the boss and acts in his
behalf when the boss is incapacitated. Trusted, older members of the family whose primary
role is to relay instructions to those occupying lower positions in the family.

d. CAPORIGEME

          - “capos”, rank and file under the underboss who are considered as a sort of midlevel
man

-their role is to serve as buffer between the lowest level members and the upper members
of the family.
e. SOLDIERS

-           Lowest level members of the family.

          -wise guys, made guys, button men

-           Report directly to the capo and will often operate at least one specific criminal
enterprise.

2. ALBINI’S PATRON CLIENT MODEL

          - Joseph Albini (1971)

          -concluded that organized crime was made up of criminal patrons who exchanged
information, connections with government officials, and access to a network of operatives
for the client’s economic and political support – client – patron relationship.

3. SMITH’S ENTERPRISE MODEL

-Dwight Smith (1974). Organized crime is nothing more than an extension or normal
business operations into the illegal market.
-           Organized crime as an entrepreneurial activity that happens to be illegal. Drug
trafficking, loan sharking, and other enterprises come into existence because the legitimate
marketplace leaves a large number of customers not served.

4. IANNI’S KINSHIP GROUP MODEL

-              The OC is nothing more than a traditional social system organized by action and
by cultural values that have nothing to do with modern bureaucratic virtues.

-              OC is not limited to a selective few; prison friendships gang associations and
community socialization processes were important as ethnicity to OC’s recruiting and there
is an ethnic succession.

5. CHAMBLISS’S CRIME NETWORK MODEL

 -OC is a network of individuals, the most powerful are business people, law enforcement
officials, and political stakeholders who direct the activities of criminal actors involved in
prostitution, gambling, pornography, and drugs.

6. HALLER’S PARTNERSHIP MODEL

 - Mark Haller concurs with the idea of organized crime as being a set of hierarchically
organized gangs.   - Those who are beginners look for more experienced mentors who
might pass opportunities on to them while more mature businessmen come to find reliable
potential partners and to exchange vital information which can help them in future business
decisions.

THEORIES OF OC

1. STRAIN OF ANOMIE

 - Robert K. Merton during the Great Depression set forth a social and cultural explanation
for deviant behavior in US. He conceived OC as a normal response to pressures exerted on
certain persons by the social structure. It is the goal that is emphasized not the means,
which are best only as a consideration.

ANOMIE
 -results when numbers of people are confronted by the contradiction between goals and
means and became estranged from a society that promises them in principle what they are
deprived of in reality.

INNOVATION

          - Is the adaptation of sophisticated, well-planned, skilled, organized criminality.

2. DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY

          -Edwin Sutherland

          -all behavior, lawful and criminal is learned.

 -instead of conforming to conventional norms, some persons, through differential

association, organize their behavior according to the norms of a delinquent or criminal
group to which they belong or with which they identify.

3. ALIEN CONSPIRACY THEORY

          -most widely held theories of OC

 -OC gained prominence during the 1860’s in Sicily and is currently made up of 25 or so
Italian dominated crime families. This theory seeks to blame outsiders and outside
influences for the prevalence of OC in American Society.

4. SUBCULTURES AND SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION

 -Subculture theory explains criminal behavior as learned; the subculture delinquent has
learned values that are deviant. The presence of a large number of criminals in certain
means that children there are in contact with crime as a career and with the criminal way of
life, symbolized by organized crime.

5. DIFFERENTIAL OPPORTUNITY

 -many lower-class male adolescents experience extreme deprivation born of the certainty
that their position in the economic structure is relatively fixed.

 - Conditions of severe deprivation with extremely limited access to ladders of legitimate

success result in collective adaptations in the form of delinquent subcultures.

GENERIC TYPES OF OC
1. POLITICAL GRAFT

 -manned by political criminals who use force and violence as a means to obtain profit or
gain and/or achieving political or ambitions. Ex. vote buying       

2. MERCENARY/PREDATORY OC

          -crimes committed for direct personal profit prey upon unwilling victims. Ex.
extortionist/racketeers

3. IN-GROUP ORIENTED OC

          -groups manned by semi-organized individual whose major goals are for
psychological gratification.            Ex. adolescent gangs, motorcycle gangs

4. SYNDICATED CRIME

 -the organization that participates in illicit activity in the society by the use of force, threat
or intimidation.  -with a formal structure, whose purpose is to provide illicit services which
are in strong public demand.  -there is assurance of protection necessary for its operations
through political corruption or avoidance of prosecution.

SMALL SCALE, TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL OC

1. SMALL SCALE ORGANIZED CRIME

 – not affiliated with “traditional organized crime” families of the historical variety, but
remain as organized criminal groups. 

2. TRADITIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME 

          – related to historical processes and linkages that reflect early immigration into the
U.S.; 

3. NON-TRADITIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME 

 – reflected in newer shifts and movements within the criminal element that do not fit the
“traditional organized crime” framework;

 
  

ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION OF OC

1. PROFESSIONAL CRIMES

 -occupations or their incumbents, which possesses various traits including useful

knowledge that requires lengthy training, service orientation and code of ethics that permits
occupations to attempt to obtain autonomy and independence with high prestige and
remuneration.

 Characteristics:

a.       crime is a sole means of livelihood.

b.      careful planning and reliance upon technical skills and methods.

c.       offenders are of migratory lifestyle.

d.      the groups have shared sense of belongingness, rules, codes of behavior, and
specialized language. 

2. WHITE COLLAR CRIMES

 -criminal acts committed by a person of respectability and a high social status in the course
of his or her occupation.

          Forms:

a. Corporate Crimes

 -the violation of a criminal statute either by a corporate entity or by its executives,

employees or agents, acting in behalf of or for the benefit of the corporation, partnership or
other business entity. 

b. Environmental Crimes

 -violation of criminal law which, although typically committed by businesses or by business

officials, may also be committed by other persons, and which damage some protected or
otherwise some significant aspect of the natural environment.

c. Occupational Crimes
 -any act punishable by law, which is committed through opportunity created in the course
of an occupation that is legal.    

Classification

c.1. Organizational Occupational Crime

-crimes committed for the benefit of the entire organization in such instances only the
organization or the employer, not individual employee.

c.2. State Authority Occupational Crime

-crimes by officials through the exercise of their state-based authority. Such crime is
occupation specific and can only be committed by person in public office or by working for
such persons.

c.3. Professional Occupational Crime

-crimes by professionals in their capacity as professionals.

c.4. Individual Occupational Crime

-crimes by individuals as individuals which includes income tax evasion, theft of goods and
services by employees, the filing or false expense report and the like.

LESSON 6 MEXICAN CARTEL

MEXICAN CARTELS

1. TIJUANA CARTEL

The Tijuana Cartel, also known as the Arellano Felix Organization, is based in one of the
most strategically important Mexico border cities for trafficking drugs into the United States.

Has a firm hold on all drug trafficking in Sinaloa, Jalisco, Michoacan, Chiapas and Baja, and
has strong links to San Diego, California. The AFO dispenses an estimated $1 million weekly
in bribes to Mexican officials and maintains its own-well armed, trained, paramilitary security
force.

The Arellano Félix family was initially composed of seven brothers and four sisters, who
inherited the organization from Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo upon his incarceration in
Mexico in 1989 for his complicity in the murder of DEA Special A,gent Enrique Camarena.
The brothers' death and arrests during the 2000s did impact the Arellano Felix cartel, but
they did not dismantle the organization. Today the group is led by the Arellanos'
nephew, Luis Fernando Sánchez Arellano.

The Tijuana Cartel has infiltrated the Mexican law enforcement and judicial systems and is
directly involved in street-level trafficking within the United States. This criminal
organization is responsible for the transportation, importation, and distribution of multi-ton
quantities of cocaine and marijuana, as well as large quantities
of heroin and methamphetamine.

The organization has a reputation for extreme violence. Ramón Arellano Félix ordered a hit
which resulted in the mass murder of 18 people in Ensenada, Baja California, on September
17, 1998. Ramón was eventually killed in a gun battle with police at Mazatlán in Sinaloa, on
February 10, 2002.

The Arellano Félix family has seven brothers:

Rafael Arellano Félix† (born 24 October 1949) – captured (1993), released (2008), murdered
on 18 October 2013

Benjamín Arellano Félix (born 3 December 1952) – captured on March 9, 2002, extradited on

April 29, 2011

Carlos Arellano Félix (born 20 August 1955) – not currently wanted

Eduardo Arellano Félix (born 11 October 1956) – captured on October 26, 2008, extradited
on August 31, 2012

Ramón Arellano Félix (born 31 August 1964) – deceased, shot by police in February 2002

Luis Fernando Arellano Félix (believed to be born 26 January 1966) – not currently wanted

Javier Arellano Félix (born 11 December 1969) – captured in August 2006

ACTIVITIES:

Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, People Smuggling, Murder, Arm Trafficking, Bribery

 
2. JUARES CARTEL

The Juárez Cartel is one of the oldest and most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico.
Since its beginnings, the cartel has focused on drug trafficking, but has expanded into other
criminal activities such as human trafficking, kidnapping, local drug distribution and
extortion. Based in the city of Juárez in the state of Chihuahua, northern Mexico, the Juárez
Cartel is also known as the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes Organization (VCFO), after its leader.

The origins of the Juárez Cartel go back to the 1980s, when the Ciudad Juarez area was
under Rafael Aguilar Guajardo’s control. Aguilar Guajardo worked closely with the
Guadalajara Cartel, and after the arrest of the cartel’s leader, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, he
was granted control of Juárez. Amidst mysterious circumstances, Aguilar Guajardo was killed
in Cancún in 1993. His lieutenant, Amado Carrillo Fuentes, alias “El Señor de los Cielos,”
quickly assumed control.

The organization grew exponentially under Carrillo Fuentes. More prone to negotiate than
fight, Carrillo Fuentes reconstructed Félix Gallardo’s old network and more. Eventually, he
controlled at least half of all Mexican trafficking and even extended his operations to Central
America and into South America, including Chile and Argentina. Carrillo’s alias, “Lord of the
Skies,” aptly described his method: using commercial and parcel traffic, the Juárez Cartel
moved thousands of tons of Colombian cocaine into Mexico by air, then into the United
States by land. Carrillo Fuentes furthered his reach by establishing his own distribution
networks in the U.S. He died, abruptly, in 1997, while getting plastic surgery, leaving behind
a well-structured cartel but a void at the top.

LEADERSHIP

In recent years, the Juárez Cartel has fragmented into smaller splinter factions like La Línea,
who appear to play more of a role in controlling territory formerly held by the group.

Luis Carlos Vázquez Barragán, alias “El 20,” was leading the faction and allegedly taking
direct orders from Carrillo Fuentes before his death, helping the Juárez Cartel move large
drug shipments across the US-Mexico border, as well as planning and carrying out targeted
assassinations. However, Mexican authorities arrested him in Chihuahua in 2010.

Since then, it’s not immediately clear who holds the top position within La Línea’s ranks.

TERRITORIES

At the height of its power, the cartel operated in nearly 21 states and its main areas of
influence included Sinaloa, Durango, Jalisco, Coahuila, Zacatecas, Michoacán, Colima,
Nayarit, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Veracruz, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Puebla,
Morelos and Mexico City.
The cartel maintains a firm foothold in Ciudad Juárez and the Valle de Juárez, which remains
the key corridor for transporting illegal drugs into the United States. It still has some
measure of control over the local and state police, as well as some politicians. It has turned
to local gangs to be its enforcers, changing the dynamic in the area and increasing violent
confrontation with its rivals.

The group’s drug trafficking operations are carried out by establishing two main fronts on
both sides of the US-Mexico frontier. La Línea and the Linces control transport to the US-
Mexican border and the other gang, the Aztecas, manages the US side, with operations in El
Paso, Dallas and Austin.

ACTIVITIES

The Juárez Cartel is responsible for smuggling tons of narcotics from Mexico into the United
States throughout its long and turbulent history, and the group’s intense rivalry with the
Sinaloa Cartel helped turn Juarez into one of the most violent places in the world.

l  NORTE DEL VALLE

A drug cartel that operated principally in the north of the Valle del

Cauca department of Colombia. It rose to prominence during the second half of the 1990s,
after the Cali and Medellín Cartels fragmented, and it was known as one of the most
powerful organizations in the illegal drug trade. The drug cartel was led by the brothers Luis
Enrique and Javier Antonio Calle Serna, alias "Los Comba", until its takedown in 2012 by the
authorities of the United States.

The North Valley cartel (Spanish: Norte del Valle cartel) was a Colombian drug cartel which
operated primarily in the Valle del Cauca department of Colombia. The cartel gained
prominence after the collapse of the both the Medellín and Cali cartels.

Formed in the 1980s, the cartel during its initial years worked under the suzerainty of the
much powerful Cali cartel. In 1986, Henao Montoya upstarted the Cali cartel by selling
cocaine to Isabella Bautista and Enedina Arellano Félix. After the collapse of Pablo Escobar's
drug empire in 1992, the Norte del Valle often locked horns with the much powerful Cali
Cartel. The aggression morphed into an all-out war following Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela's
announcement in 1995 that the Cali cartel would be surrendering to the government in six
months. To complicate things, Helmer Herrera has Claudio Salazar, a high-ranking member
of the Norte del Valle cartel bisected by two motorcycles, and had his body fed to the
fishes. Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela then sends Navegante and Jorge Salcedo to kidnap
Claudio's son from the protection of his grandmother, another cartel leader.

The Norte del Valle cartel decide to take revenge by sending hit squads after both Helmer
Herrera and Miguel Rodriguez. Miguel Rodriguez is ambushed in a club in Cali, but makes it
out unharmed. Helmer is ambushed in Juarez, Mexico. He too escapes unharmed, but his
brother was paralyzed due to the gunshot injuries. Seeking revenge for his brother's
disability, Herrera wipes out several cartel members using a car-bomb outside a church. He
then assaults the headquarters of the cartel, destroying the top-command of the Norte del
Valle cartel before surrendering to the police. At this point, they also formed an alliance
with Amado Carrillo Fuentes of Mexico's Juárez cartel.

Orlando Henao Montoya, the leader of the Norte del Valle cartel and a survivor of the
attacks takes revenge by sending sicarios to kill Herrera in prison, and takes out the
remnants of the Cali cartel's leadership by killing David Rodriguez in a drive-by shooting,
effectively ending the Cali cartel.

With his cartel leading the cocaine production in Colombia, Montoya takes some very
radical steps like granting more autonomy to his lower operatives and decentralizing the
operation.

DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES

According to Diego Montoya's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) profile, the U.S.

government accuses him of being involved in the willing production and distribution of
multiple tons of cocaine into the United States. It also considers him and his organization as
heavily relying on violence enjoying the protection of both right-wing and left-wing illegal
armed groups classified as terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.

According to a 2004 U.S. government Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations

Act (RICO) indictment, between 1990 and 2004, the Norte del Valle cartel exported more
than 1.2 million pounds – or 500 metric tons – of cocaine worth in excess of $10 billion from
Colombia to Mexico and ultimately to the United States for resale.

The indictment charges that the Norte del Valle cartel used violence and brutality to further
its goals, including the murder of rivals, individuals who failed to pay for cocaine, and
associates who were believed to be working as informants.

Racketeering- making money through illegal activities.

Violence, Brutality and Murder- they used to further its goal, including the murder to rivals,
individuals who failed to pay for cocaine, and associates who were believed to be working
as informants.
Bribery and Corruption- leaders of the cartel allegedly bribed and corrupted Colombian law
enforcement and Colombian legislators to, among the other things, attempt to block the
extradition of Colombian narcotics traffickers to the United States to be prosecuted for their
crimes.

LESSON 7 SICILIAN MAFIA

COSA NOSTRA/ LA COSA NOSTRA/ SICILIAN MAFIA

Definition and History

Member of the Mafia is a "mafioso", or a "man of honor".

The Mafia spread to the United States through immigration by the Twentieth Century.

Mafia power peaked in the United States in the mid-Twentieth Century, until a series of FBI
investigations in the 1970s and 1980s somewhat curtailed the Mafia's influence. Despite the
decline, the Mafia and its reputation have become entrenched in American popular culture,
portrayed in movies, TV shows, and even product commercials.

The term "mafia" has now been extended to refer to any large group of people engaged in
organized crime (compare the Russian Mafia and the Japanese Yakuza), or in suspicious
activity (compare the Trenchcoat Mafia of Columbine High School). When unqualified,
however, "Mafia" still usually refers to the original Sicilian/American organizations.

The Mafia was originally formed, in the mid-19th century, to serve as a secret vigilante
group whose goal was to protect the natives of Sicily.

The Mafia is defined as a network of organized-crime groups that are based in Italy and
America. The Sicilian Mafia, evolved over centuries ago after a long line of foreign invaders
ruled the Island of Sicily, while the American Mafia came about following waves of Sicilian
and Italian immigration in the 19th century. Mafia is a state of mind, a way of life not a
secret criminal organization.

The Sicilian Mafia, also simply known as the Mafia and frequently referred to as Cosa

Nostra  "our thing") by its members, is an Italian, Mafia-terrorist-type, organized crime
syndicate originating in the region of Sicily, dating to the 19th century. It is a loose
association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of
conduct. The basic group is known as a "family", "clan", or cosca. Each family
claims sovereignty over a territory, usually a town or village or a neighborhood (borgata) of
a larger city, in which it operates its rackets. Its members call themselves "men of honor",
although the public often refers to them as Mafiosi. The Mafia's core activities are protection
racketeering, the arbitration of disputes between criminals, and the organizing and
oversight of illegal agreements and transactions. By the 20th century, following wide-scale
emigration from Sicily, the organization acquired a strong presence in other countries in
North and South America.

Clan Hierarchy

In 1984, mafioso informant Tommaso Buscetta explained to prosecutors the command

structure of a typical clan. A clan is led by a "boss" (capofamiglia or rappresentante) who is
aided by an underboss (capo bastone or sotto capo) and supervised by one or more advisers
(consigliere). Under his command are groups (decina) of about ten "soldiers" (soldati, operai,
or picciotti). Each decina is led by a capodecina.

The actual structure of any given clan can vary. Despite the name decina, they do not
necessarily have ten soldiers, but can have anything from five to thirty. Some clans are so
small that they don't even have decinas and capodecinas, and even in large clans certain
soldiers may report directly to the boss or underboss.

The boss of a clan is typically elected by the rank-and-file soldiers (though violent
successions do happen). Due to the small size of most Sicilian clans, the boss of a clan has
intimate contact with all members, and doesn't receive much in the way of privileges or
rewards as he would in larger organizations (such as the larger Five Families of New
York). His tenure is also frequently short: elections are yearly, and he might be deposed
sooner for misconduct or incompetence.

The underboss is second in command to the boss. The underboss is sometimes a family
member, such as a son, who will take over the family if the boss is sick, killed, or imprisoned.

The consigliere ("counselor") of the clan is also elected on a yearly basis. One of his jobs is to
supervise the actions of the boss and his immediate underlings, particularly in financial
matters (e.g. preventing embezzlement). He also serves as an impartial adviser to the boss
and mediator in internal disputes. To fulfill this role, the consigliere must be impartial,
devoid of conflict of interest and ambition.

Other than its members, Cosa Nostra makes extensive use of "associates". These are people
who work for or aid a clan (or even multiple clans) but are not treated as true members.
These include corrupt officials and The media has often made reference to a "capo di tutti
capi" or "boss of bosses" that allegedly "commands all of Cosa Nostra". Calogero
Vizzini, Salvatore Riina, and Bernardo Provenzano were especially influential bosses who
have each been described by the media and law enforcement as being the "boss of bosses"
of their times. While a powerful boss may exert great influence over his neighbors, the
position does not formally exist, according to Mafia turncoats such as Buscetta. According
to Mafia historian Salvatore Lupo "the emphasis of the media on the definition of a 'capo di
tutti capi' is without any foundation".prospective mafiosi. An associate is considered by the
mafiosi nothing more than a tool, someone that they can "use", or "nothing mixed with nil."

Membership

Membership in Cosa Nostra is open only to Sicilian men. A candidate cannot be a relative of
or have any close links with a lawman, such as a police officer or a judge. There is no strict
age limit; men as young as sixteen have been initiated. A prospective mafioso is carefully
tested for obedience, discretion, courage, ruthlessness, and skill at espionage. He is almost
always required to commit murder as his ultimate trial, even if he doesn't plan to be a career
assassin. The act of murder is to prove his sincerity (i.e., he is not an undercover policeman)
and to bind him into silence (i.e., he cannot break omertà without facing murder charges
himself).

     To be part of the Mafia is highly desirable for many street criminals. Mafiosi receive a
great deal of respect, for everyone knows that to offend a mafioso is to risk lethal
retribution from him or his colleagues. Mafiosi have an easier time getting away with crimes,
negotiating deals, and demanding privileges. A full member also gains more freedom to
participate in certain rackets which the Mafia controls (particularly protection racketeering).
     Traditionally, only men can become mafiosi, though in recent times there have been
reports of women assuming the responsibilities of imprisoned mafiosi relatives.

     Clans are also called "families", although their members are usually not related by blood.
The Mafia actually has rules designed to prevent nepotism. Membership and rank in the
Mafia are not hereditary. Most new bosses are not related to their predecessor. The
Commission forbids relatives from holding positions in inter-clan bodies at the same
time. That said, mafiosi frequently bring their sons into the trade. They have an easier time
entering, because the son bears his father's seal of approval and is familiar with the
traditions and requirements of Cosa Nostra.

     A mafioso's legitimate occupation, if any, generally does not affect his prestige
within Cosa Nostra. Historically, most mafiosi were employed in menial jobs, and many
bosses did not work at all. Professionals such as lawyers and doctors do exist within the
organization, and are employed according to whatever useful skills they have.

ACTIVITIES

Vote buying

Politicians court mafiosi to obtain votes during elections. A mafioso's mere endorsement of
a certain candidate can be enough for their clients, relatives, and associates to vote for that
candidate. A particularly influential mafioso can bring in thousands of votes for a candidate;
such is the respect that a mafioso can command. The Italian Parliament has a huge number
of seats (945, roughly 1 per 64,000 citizens) and a large number of political
parties competing for them, meaning that a candidate can win with only a few thousand
votes. A mafia clan's support can thus be decisive for their success.

Politicians have always sought us out because we can provide votes. [...] between friends
and family, each man of honor can muster up forty to fifty other people. There are between
1,500 and 2,000 men of honor in Palermo province. Multiply that by fifty and you get a nice
package of 75,000 to 100,000 votes to go to friendly parties and candidates.

Politicians usually repay this support with favors, such as sabotaging police investigations or
giving contracts and permits.

They are not ideological themselves, though mafiosi have traditionally opposed extreme
parties such as Fascists and Communists, and favored center candidates.

Smuggling

Mafiosi provide protection and invest capital in smuggling gangs. Smuggling operations
require large investments (goods, boats, crews, etc.) but few people would trust their money
to criminal gangs. It is mafiosi who raise the necessary money from investors and ensure
that all parties act in good faith. They also ensure that the smugglers operate in safety.

Mafiosi rarely directly involve themselves in smuggling operations. When they do, it is
usually when the operations are especially risky. In this case, they may induct smugglers into
their clans in the hope of binding them more firmly. This was the case with heroin
smuggling, where the volumes and profits involved were too large to keep the operations at
arm's length.

Bid rigging

The Sicilian Mafia in Italy is believed to have a turnover of €6.5 billion through control of
public and private contracts. Mafiosi use threats of violence and vandalism to muscle out
competitors and win contracts for the companies that they control. They rarely manage the
businesses that they control, but take a cut of their profits, usually through payoffs.

Loan sharking

In a 2007 publication, the Italian small-business association Confesercenti reported that

about 25.2 percent of Sicilian businesses were indebted to loan sharks, who collected
around €1.4 billion a year in payments. This figure has risen during the late-2000s recession,
as tighter lending by banks forces the desperate to borrow from the Mafia.

Forbidden crimes

Certain types of crimes are forbidden by Cosa Nostra, either by members or freelance
criminals within their domains. Mafiosi are generally forbidden from committing theft
(burglary, mugging, etc.). Kidnapping is also generally forbidden, even by non-mafiosi, as it
attracts a great deal of public hostility and police attention. These rules have been violated
from time to time, both with and without the permission of senior mafiosi.

LESSON 8 COLOMBIAN MAFIA

COLOMBIAN DRUG ORGANIZATION

          Colombian Headquarters: The drug lord oversees operations through designates who
are responsible for regional directors. He will also have a staff responsible for Colombian
operations, including production, transportation, distribution, finances, and enforcement.
          Regional Director: Responsible for overall operations of the several cells within a
region, the regional director reports via cell phone, fax, or e-mail to a designate in
Colombia. The regional director has direction in the day-to-day operations, but ultimate
authority rests with the leadership in Colombia.

MEDELLIN CARTEL

          Medellin, an Andean industrial and tourist city of about 1.5 million persons in the
province of Antioquia, has been the home of some of Colombia's most notorious drug
traffickers. Antioquia and neighboring provinces bore the brunt of the civil war violence of
L948-1958. Long before cocaine emerged as an important commodity, Medellin had a long-
standing reputation for smuggling and as a school for pickpockets. It is known as a place
where assassins are trained in such techniques as the session de la motto: a passenger on a
motorbike uses an automatic weapon-usually a .45 caliber machine pistol. The murder rate
in Medellin is nearly nine times that of New York City. It is virtually free of any American
diplomatic personnel. The city served as the headquarters for drug-trafficking organizations
known in Colombia as Los Grandes Mafioso’s and in the United States as the Medellin
Cartel, whose founders include Pablo Escobar, the Ochoa clan, and Carlos Lehder-Rivas.

          Lehder-Rivas was indicted in l98l by a Jacksonville, Florida, federal grand jury for drug
trafficking and income tax evasion, and in 1983 the United States requested his extradition.
Lehder-Rivas went underground, emerging back in Medellin denouncing the United States
for imperialism. He threatened to join forces with the Marist revolutionary group known as
M-19. In a 1987 shootout, Lehder-Rivas was arrested by Colombian authorities and
extradited to the United States. The following year, Lehder-Rivas was convicted of shipping
3.3 tons of cocaine to Florida and Georgia in 1979 and 1980, and sentenced to life without
parole. In 1991 he appeared as a U.S. government witness in the trial of General Manuel
Noriega, who, he stated, provided enormous help-and sometimes double-crossed-the
cartel. Lehder-Rivas alleged that Noriega had sold the cartel an arsenal of Uzi submachine
guns as well as photographs and addresses of DEA agents but had also seized their cocaine
and, after being praised by the DEA" sold it back to tire traffickers (Rohter l99la).

          Pabla Escobar The most notorious member of the cartel was born in 1949; his father
was afarmer, his mother a schoolteacher. Pablo Escobar (Gaviria) received a high school
education but was too poor to attend college. He embarked upon a career in petry crime,
later rising to bodyguard-enforcer for an electronics smuggler. By 1976, Escobar headed a
small group of "mules" who transported raw coca paste and base from the south into
Colombia, where it was processed into cocaine. In that year, he was arrested with five other
men and charged with attempted bribery-they had attempted to smuggle a 39-pound
shipment of cocaine inside a spare tire. After three months, the case was dropped on a
technicality. The records of the case subsequently disappeared, and the two officers who
had arrested Escobar were murdered.

          “Fabio Ochoa Restrepo was the patriarch of one of Colombia’s most important drug
trafficking families,” according to the Miami Herald, on February 19, 2002. His three sons
were all top lieutenants in the Medellín cartel, one of the richest and most successful drug
operations in the history of such businesses. However, the well-connected and highly
respected

          Ochoa Restrepo was never accused or indicted on drug-trafficking charges, either by
the Colombian or the U.S. government, and up to the time of his death, he defended the
reputation of his sons and his family. Fábio Ochoa Restrepo was a famed horse breeder and
the patriarch of one of Colombia’s most important drug- Ochoa Restrepo was a renowned
South American horse breeder and was considered to be a verywealthy man. He and his
family lived on a large ranch called La Loma. He was in ill health for most of his adult life
and died at 78 years of age of kidney on February 18, 2002.

          Fábio Ochoa Vásquez is the youngest son of Fábio Ochoa Restrepo. Fábio Ochoa
Vásquez was allegedly involved with the Medellín cartel, a Colombian drug cartel once
headed by Pablo Escobar. Jorge Luis and Fábio Ochoa Vásquez were both top-ranking
lieutenants in the organization. On February 19, 2002, Fábio Ochoa Vásquez turned himself
in to authorities and urged his brothersto do the same, hoping he could cut a deal with the
Colombian government. All three brothers ended up serving time in Colombian prisons,
spending five years a piece for their involvement with the Medellín cartel. All three brothers
were released in 1996 and vowed that they would never involve themselves in the cocaine
business again. But the temptations of the family’s business were too great for Fábio, who
became involved with a Mexican group smuggling and distributing in Florida. Fábio was
indicted by a federal court and extradited to the United States. He was convicted on May 27,
2003, and sentenced to time in a Florida prison.

          OCHOA Vásquez, Jorge Luis A son of Fábio Ochoa Restrepo, an alleged major drug-
trafficking operative in and supplier to the Medellin cartel. Ochoa Vásquez was known for a
variety of aliases, including, El Gordo, Los Pablos, Moises Moreno Miranda, Jorge Luis
Azquez, El Niño, El Ocho, and Jorge Luis Ochoa Arismendez. Jorge Luis Ochoa Vásquez was
allegedly involved with the Medellín cartel, a Colombian drug cartel once headed by Pablo
Escobar. Jorge

          According to the Miami Herald on February 19, 2002, Ochoa Vasquez was the first
major trafficker to turn himself in to authorities in exchange for a promise he would not be
extradited for past crimes. His surrender opened the way for his older brothers to also turn
themselves in.” The deal was subsequently canceled by the Colombian government and
replaced with a new one after Pablo Escobar was killed in a shootout with police in 1993. “A
December 1997 constitutional change reinstated extradition but only for crimes committed
after that date,” the paper also stated.

          All three brothers ended up serving time in Colombian prisons, spending five years a
piece for their involvement with the Medellin cartel. All three brothers were released in 1996
and vowed that they would never involve themselves in the cocaine business again. Since
then, Jorge Luis has remained in Colombia and has not been sought for any other drug-
trafficking businesses. He helped his father run their horse breeding operations until his
death in February 2002.

          Juan Ochoa Vásquez was released from prison in July after serving five months of a
six-year sentence. He is the son of Fábio Ochoa Restrepo and the brother of Fábio Ochoa
Vásquez and Jorge Luis Ochoa Vásquez. Juan Ochoa is wanted in the United States for the
1986 slaying of a Drug Enforcement Administration informant. He has not left Colombia and
has not been identified recently by the U.S. government as being involved in any current
drug businesses.

CALI CARTEL

         

          The Cali Cartel was a drug cartel based in southern Colombia, around the city of Cali
and the Valle del Cauca Department. The Cali Cartel was founded by the Rodríguez Orejuela
brothers, Gilberto and Miguel, as well as associate José Santa Cruz London. The Cali Cartel
was formed by the Rodriguez brothers and Santa Cruz, all coming from what is described as
a higher social background than most other traffickers of all time. The recognition of this
social background was displayed in the group's nickname as "Cali's Gentlemen

Organization

          The lax attitude of the DEA on cocaine is believed to be what allowed the group to
prosper, but also to develop and organize itself into multiple "cells" that appeared to
operate independently, yet reported to a "celeno" or manager, who then reported back to
Cali.[

          The independent cell structure is what set the Cali Cartel apart from the Medellin
Cartel. The Cali Cartel operated as a tight group of independent criminal organizations, as
opposed to the Medellin’s' structure of a central leader, Pablo Escobar.
          It was believed each cell would report to a larger group, who would then report to the
leaders of the cartel. The groups as cited by former Cali accountant Guillermo Pallomari are:

Narco-trafficking: Control over processing labs, shipping methods and routes.

Military: Control over security, punishment/discipline and bribery in relation to military or

police officials.

Political: Responsible for forging governmental links, Congressional members, federal

officials and local authorities.

          Financial: Control over money-laundering, front businesses and legitimate business

ventures.

Legal: Control over representation for captured traffickers, hiring of lobbyists and overseas
representation.

          The Cali Cartel would eventually go on to be known by then DEA chief Thomas
Constantine as "The biggest, most powerful crime syndicate we've ever known."

Trafficking

          The Cali Cartel, whose brief roots began in trafficking marijuana, soon shifted to
cocaine due to its ease of transporting and greater profit margin.  The cartel would be
known for innovation in trafficking and production by moving its refining operations out of
Colombia to Peru and Bolivia, as well as for pioneering new trafficking routes through
Panama.

          The Cartel also diversified into opium and was reported to have brought in a Japanese
chemist to help its refining operation.At the height of the Cali Cartel's reign, they were cited
as having control over 90% of the world’s cocaine market and, for being directly responsible
for the growth of the cocaine market in Europe, controlling 90% of the market. By the mid
1990's the trafficking empire of the Cali Cartel was a multi-billion dollar enterprise.

LESSON 9 NIGERIAN MAFIA

NIGERIAN ORGANIZED CRIME

          Nigerian crime syndicates, often considered by law enforcement officers as 'organized

crime', have gained a certain international notoriety, particularly in the fields of drugs and
fraud. This research aims to study the history of such 'organized crime' with a view to
discovering how and why it has developed. However, it is clear that the research will also
need to grapple with some important conceptual issues, including how legitimate it is to
describe Nigerian crime as 'organized', and how crime or criminals may be discerned in a
situation where senior state officials themselves routinely commit economic crimes in
particular. Research suggests that modern organized crime in Nigeria or committed by
Nigerians outside the country can hardly be separated from the growth of such global
phenomena as money-laundering and business and political corruption, perhaps going back
to the post-1945 period.

Organized crime - from drug and human trafficking to fraud, financial crime, cyber-crime
and other types of criminal activity - undermines Nigeria’s development prospects and its
ability to strengthen democratic institutions and accountability. A driver of insecurity,
instability and human right violations, there is growing recognition of the need to
implement multifaceted yet cohesive policy solutions to curb the activity of international
criminal networks.

ACTIVITIES

Fraud

An advance-fee scam is a form of fraud and one of the most common types of confidence
tricks The scam typically involves promising the victim a significant share of a large sum of
money, in return for a small up-front payment, which the fraudster requires in order to
obtain the large sum. If a victim makes the payment, the fraudster either invents a series of
further fees for the victim or simply disappears.

419 SCAMS (FRAUD)

Employment scams

This scam targets people who have posted their résumés on e.g. job sites. The scammer
sends a letter with a falsified company logo. The job offer usually indicates exceptional
salary and benefits, and requests that the victim needs a "work permit" for working in the
country, and includes the address of a (fake) "government official" to contact. The
"government official" then proceeds to fleece the victim by extracting fees from the
unsuspecting user for the work permit and other fees.

Bogus job offers

More sophisticated scams advertise jobs with real companies and offer lucrative salaries and
conditions with the fraudsters pretending to be recruitment agents. A bogus telephone or
online interview may take place and after some time the applicant is informed that the job is
theirs. To secure the job they are instructed to send money for their work visa or travel costs
to the agent, or to a bogus travel agent who works on the scammer's behalf. No matter
what the variation, they always involve the job seeker sending them or their agent money,
credit card or bank account details.

Cash-handling scam

These scammers do internet searches on various companies to obtain hiring managers'

names. They then advertise job offers on job search engines. The job hunter will then apply
for the position with a resume. The person applying for the position will get a message
almost instantly from a common (usually free) email account, asking for credentials. The
scammer will sometimes request that the victim has an Instant Messenger chat to obtain
more information. The scammer guarantees employment, usually through automated
computer programs that have a certain algorithm, with "canned responses" in broken
English.

Lottery scam

The lottery scam involves fake notices of lottery wins, although the intended victim has not
entered the lottery. The "winner" is usually asked to send sensitive information such as
name, residential address, occupation/position, lottery number etc. to a free email account
which is at times untraceable or without any link -- stuff you should NEVER share with
strangers on the internet. In addition to harvesting this information, the scammer then
notifies the victim that releasing the funds requires some small fee (insurance, registration,
or shipping). Once the victim sends the fee, the scammer invents another fee.

Online sales and rentals

Many scams involve the purchase of goods and services via classified advertisements,
especially on sites like Craigslist, eBay, or Gumtree. These typically involve the scammer
contacting the seller of a particular good or service via telephone or email expressing
interest in the item. They will typically then send a fake check written for an amount greater
than the asking price, asking the seller to send the difference to an alternate address, usually
by money order or Western Union. A seller eager to sell a particular product may not wait
for the check to clear, and when the bad check bounces, the funds wired have already been
lost.

Pet scams
This is a variation of the online sales scam where high-value, scarce pets are advertised as
bait on online advertising websites using little real seller verification like Craigslist, Gumtree,
and JunkMail. The pet may either be advertised as being for-sale or up for adoption.
Typically the pet is advertised on online advertising pages complete with photographs taken
from various sources such as real advertisements, blogs or wherever an image can be stolen.
Upon the potential victim contacting the scammer, the scammer responds by asking for
details pertaining to the potential victim's circumstances and location under the pretense of
ensuring that the pet would have a suitable home.

Romance scam

One of the variants is the Romance Scam, a money-for-romance angle. The con artist
approaches the victim on an online dating service, an instant messenger, or a social
networking site. The scammer claims an interest in the victim, and posts pictures of an
attractive person. The scammer uses this communication to gain confidence, then asks for
money.

Mobile tower installation fraud

This variant of advance-fee fraud is widespread in India and Pakistan. The fraudster uses
Internet classified websites and print media to lure the public for the installation of a mobile
phone tower on their property, with the promise of huge rental returns. The fraudster also
creates fake websites to appear legitimate. The victims part with their money in pieces to
the fraudster on account of the Government Service Tax, government clearance charges,
bank charges, transportation charges, survey fee etc. The Indian government is issuing
public notices in media to spread awareness among the public and warn them against
mobile tower fraudsters.

Drug trafficking

Nigerian criminal groups are heavily involved in drug trafficking,

shipping heroin from Asian countries to Europe and America; and cocaine from South
America to Europe and South Africa. The large numbers of ethnic Nigerians in countries like
India and Thailand give their gangs ready access to around 90% of the world's heroin.

In the United States, Nigerian drug traffickers are important distributors of heroin, from
importing it into the country to distribution level and selling it to lower-level street gangs.
[22]
 These criminal groups are also known to launder drug money through domestic football
clubs in the Nigeria Premier League, and are rumored to make additional money
through match fixing activity within football matches.

Human Trafficking & Kidnappings

Nigeria is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to
trafficking in persons including forced labor and forced prostitution. There is a huge menace
of Kidnappings on Northern Highways as well as allover Nigeria, claims to be from Fulani
Bandits. Trafficked Nigerian women and children are recruited from rural areas within
Nigeria - women and girls for involuntary domestic servitude and sexual exploitation, and
boys for forced labor in street vending, domestic servitude, mining, and begging.

Nigerian women and children are taken from Nigeria to other West and Central

African countries, primarily Gabon, Cameroon, Ghana, Chad, Benin, Togo, Niger, Burkina
Faso, and the Gambia, for the same purposes. Children from West African states like Benin,
Togo, and Ghana – where Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) rules
allow for easy entry – are also forced to work in Nigeria, and some are subjected to
hazardous jobs in Nigeria's granite mines. Nigerian women and girls are taken to Europe,
especially to Italy and Russia, and to the Middle East and North Africa, for
forced prostitution.

Most Popular Fraternity in Nigeria

NEO BLACKMOVEMENT “aka” BLACK AXE CULT

-       It is registered non- partisan, non-religious and non- tribal organization that sincerely
seek to revive, retain and modify where necessary those aspects of African culture that
would provide vehicles of progress for Africa and their people.

-       It was formed at the university of Benin in Benin city in 1976 by some young men with
the motive of building a body to fight against the oppression against the black men
(students) at the university.

-       Investigation has shown that it was the borrowed notion that was imported to Nigeria.

-       Some of their beliefs and saying includes:

1.    The black man will be freed with an axe

2.    No phyuk ups

3.    Forgiveness is a sin

4.    Don’t betray your brother in the hood

5.    Obey before complaining or abeyance

6.    He who price must pay

7.    Members are referred to as: aye axe- men, seven (7) or amigos

Activities

a. Most of the members of the confraternity are involved in fraud and cyber- crime. The
main reason to join the confraternity is (beside the pressure and intimidation) that is
applied to students to join) the fact that the confraternity has infiltrated all Spheres
of Nigerian society and serves the main purpose of helping its members climb the
career ladder and going unpunished for their crimes by means of their nepotistic
structure.