On one hand, goods may be manufactured in one country, trafficked across another, and marketed in a third. Conversely, rival groups constantly fight for control over an industry or territory, assassinating key leaders, intimidating local residents, and even waging outright war. The transnational nature of modern organized crime makes combatting it extremely difficult. Special police units may be able to fight organized crime in their own countries, but are easily halted once the criminals cross borders; although other countries may try and cooperate with police units, responses are considerably delayed and extradition treaties present considerable legal difficulties even when perpetrators are arrested. As a result, there is very little multinational, coordinated effort to fight organized crime. Previous United Nations Involvement The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is one of the most important UN bodies dealing with organized crime. Since the UN has extremely limited military capabilities, the majority of the UNODC’s actions are legislative in nature, with little substantive action taken. Another important UN body that deals with this issue is the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), which was established by ECOSOC in 1956 with the intention of enforcing drug control treaties; since drug trafficking is a major source of income for organized crime, CND jurisdiction intersects well with the UNODC and other similar organizations. In more recent years, Resolution 53/111, first drafted by Warsaw cabinet members, created an ad hoc committee tasked with the creation on a convention specifically geared towards organized crime. In the Latin American bloc, Argentina hosted a conference in preparation for the 54th Session’s convention writing. Additionally, Thailand was notable for hosting the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Seminar on Building Capacities for Fighting Transnational Organized Crime. Both of these acts are significant due to the fact that few frameworks have been established on this topic. Hopefully the UN will be able to authorize more direct action in the future due to these frameworks. Chinese Country Policy Although the Peoples’ Republic of China has one of the fastest growing economies and is a post-industrial power, wealth is distributed very unevenly in the country. Thus, many impoverished people turn towards organized crime as a means of income; these people operate in hundreds of localized gangs in rural areas, smuggling illicit substances, extorting small businesses, committing robbery, killing, and trafficking persons. The Peoples’ Supreme Court takes an uncompromising, hardline stance towards these gangs: if two of the four “organized crime criteria” are met, then known members can face life sentences in prison. However, there are much larger organized crime syndicates in China—the triads. Among the largest criminal organizations in the world, triads have an estimated 250,000 members. They are highly organized and operate at the highest level of discretion when carrying out the same crimes that localized gangs do. They differ in that triads use robbery, kidnaping, and assault as intimidation more than as financial income; large scale smuggling, credit fraud, trafficking are the primary sources of profit for triads, many of which in turn invest their revenue in influencing Chinese politics and law enforcement. For example, in 1980, over half of the Hong Kong police force was dishonorably discharged for associating with triads and accepting bribes. The Chinese war on
On one hand, goods may be manufactured in one country, trafficked across another, and marketed in a third. Conversely, rival groups constantly fight for control over an industry or territory, assassinating key leaders, intimidating local residents, and even waging outright war. The transnational nature of modern organized crime makes combatting it extremely difficult. Special police units may be able to fight organized crime in their own countries, but are easily halted once the criminals cross borders; although other countries may try and cooperate with police units, responses are considerably delayed and extradition treaties present considerable legal difficulties even when perpetrators are arrested. As a result, there is very little multinational, coordinated effort to fight organized crime. Previous United Nations Involvement The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is one of the most important UN bodies dealing with organized crime. Since the UN has extremely limited military capabilities, the majority of the UNODC’s actions are legislative in nature, with little substantive action taken. Another important UN body that deals with this issue is the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), which was established by ECOSOC in 1956 with the intention of enforcing drug control treaties; since drug trafficking is a major source of income for organized crime, CND jurisdiction intersects well with the UNODC and other similar organizations. In more recent years, Resolution 53/111, first drafted by Warsaw cabinet members, created an ad hoc committee tasked with the creation on a convention specifically geared towards organized crime. In the Latin American bloc, Argentina hosted a conference in preparation for the 54th Session’s convention writing. Additionally, Thailand was notable for hosting the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Seminar on Building Capacities for Fighting Transnational Organized Crime. Both of these acts are significant due to the fact that few frameworks have been established on this topic. Hopefully the UN will be able to authorize more direct action in the future due to these frameworks. Chinese Country Policy Although the Peoples’ Republic of China has one of the fastest growing economies and is a post-industrial power, wealth is distributed very unevenly in the country. Thus, many impoverished people turn towards organized crime as a means of income; these people operate in hundreds of localized gangs in rural areas, smuggling illicit substances, extorting small businesses, committing robbery, killing, and trafficking persons. The Peoples’ Supreme Court takes an uncompromising, hardline stance towards these gangs: if two of the four “organized crime criteria” are met, then known members can face life sentences in prison. However, there are much larger organized crime syndicates in China—the triads. Among the largest criminal organizations in the world, triads have an estimated 250,000 members. They are highly organized and operate at the highest level of discretion when carrying out the same crimes that localized gangs do. They differ in that triads use robbery, kidnaping, and assault as intimidation more than as financial income; large scale smuggling, credit fraud, trafficking are the primary sources of profit for triads, many of which in turn invest their revenue in influencing Chinese politics and law enforcement. For example, in 1980, over half of the Hong Kong police force was dishonorably discharged for associating with triads and accepting bribes. The Chinese war on