Organized Crime and Terrorism

Human trafficking has been entwined into the structure of governments, arms trade, drug trade, and even spreads as far as terrorism. For many years it has been a fact that the money that has been made by selling other humans to the highest bidder. It is also known that the organized crime operations generate one of the most profitable resources to the organization. These organizations use this money for theirs or other’s crime and end up in the hands of drug lords. Drug lords, in order to promote their own business give money to support terrorist groups and activities. Security after September 11, 2001 has recognized human trafficking as a national and international security risk.

In our reading of Illicit by Naim (2005), he suggests that the asymmetrical relationship between the government and transnational crime groups create a struggle for the government to respond to these transnational crimes at a decent rate (Naim,2005). On the other side our reading in McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld by Glenny (2009), suggest otherwise. Glenny (2009) suggests that of a relationship between transnational crime groups, the public, the government and this is a huge aspect to how the government responds to these factors. Both perspectives contain their strengths and weaknesses, however the dependency theory by Glenny has more valid points than that of the asymmetrical theory by Naim.

Criminal activity and terrorist activity have a relationship that is closely related, with only minor differences separating the two. Terrorist activity are criminal acts that are motivated by a higher cause beyond the basic causes of crime. Terrorist attack are highly planned out, and the same can be said about criminal activity. Serial killers often plan out their acts just as much as terrorist organizations, however the same cannot be said for certain crimes like random assaults. (Newman & Clarke, 2008) The relationship between crime and terrorism is brought closer when terrorist organizations use common crime to fund their attacks. For example, a terrorist organization may resort to stealing chemical agents to make their dirty bombs. The

Terrorism has never been in the States; only in third world countries. Since 9/11-2001 is has been a reality and ongoing nightmare and hit close to home. The attack on the World Trade Centers in New York was a wakeup call. United States has been on high alert ever since, waiting for the next possible Terrorists attack. This paper will explain why terrorism is a law enforcement concern as well as how terrorism is considered a crime. At last the paper will state some recommendations that the American Criminal Justice should do, to better prepare for future crimes.

Terrorism, a word most people fear, but so often misinterpret. The textbook definition of terrorism is “the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims”. But how does that compare to domestic terrorism? Domestic terrorism or “homegrown terrorism” can be defined as “the committing of terrorist acts in the perpetrator’s own country against their fellow citizens”. Throughout the years, America as a nation has experienced quite a few occurrences of both types. An early example of homegrown terrorism would be the Haymarket Affair which occurred May 4, 1886 where in Chicago’s Haymarket Square, labor protesters detonated a bomb during a rally. Chicago police then responded by firing

But even if they are not intertwined in an immediate and direct contractual way, the reality appears to be that drug trafficking and terrorism in an organized sense is very much present, and that organizational sense alone means that is in many cases organized criminal behavior by those involved in it, whether it is Cosa Nostra or the Russian mafia or anybody like that engaged in it or not. Drug trafficking and terrorism are illegal, clandestine activities and they have a number of common needs: the acquisition of weapons, the maintaining of anonymity, hiding assets, keeping a steady flow of cash, and they both have found their hands strengthened through the ability to operate transnationally. It is important to bear in mind for

Both terrorist and transnational organized criminal groups utilize illegal activities to further their agendas and increase their coffers. Some of the methods employed are: kidnapping, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. Recently these two groups have begun working together to accomplish their goals. There has been evidence that organized crime groups have provided logistical support to terrorists (Rollins & Wyler, 2013). The collaboration of these two groups strengthens both groups exponentially. But the organized crime groups, on most occasions, do not share the same ideological views as the terrorist groups. They are in it for the money, and sometimes the risk of working with terrorists is too high.

The United States has developed extensive networks, policies, and operations to decrease the drug trafficking throughout the world, with its’ starts especially Latin America. As US law enforcement agencies have made progress in arresting and disassembling drug cartel organizations and by having tighter security at transit points, these same organizations have counteracted their business plans to avoid being exposed. Since the mid-2000s Latin American drug cartels have made increasing relations with partners in Africa. This has now become an increasing concern for US authorities, for these cartels have now became intertwined with terrorist organization, forming narco-terrorist organizations. These narco-terrorism organizations can be defined

ISIS is a self funding terrorist group, one of the first of its kind. ISIS funds itself in many different ways. Primarily the Islamic State conducts oil smuggling operations from wells and refineries in territories they have seized in Iraq and northern Syria. It has been estimated that ISIS makes one million to two million a day on oil sales. They also receive large donations from wealthy sympathizers across the globe. Another tactic ISIS uses to finance themselves is through organized crime. Because there is virtually no law enforcement to reign in ISIS’s behavior, the Islamic State is able to conduct methods to obtain money from wherever they have established control. In many of the territories that ISIS controls in Iraq and Syria are highly

The center point and the seven spokes of the criminological wheel. These speak to terrorism and seven other forms of criminality which bolster, or are the result of terrorism. These eight types of criminality are a piece of a gathering of eighteen which the United Nations has characterized as transnational criminality. Not crimes without anyone else, but instead a blend of different crimes, they all have in like manner that they rise above national limits, influencing a few countries, and hence are difficult to manage by only one country. Terrorism, the utilization or risk of brutality guided at individuals or governments to punish them for past action and additionally to achieve a change of policy which is to the enjoying (Adler, “et.al”,

The problem encountered within my research is the connection between Drug Trafficking Organizations and Transnational Terror Organizations. The problem this poses is the potential threat to the United States in terms of the two organizations working in conjunction with one another and what this would entail for national security. What remains to be seen within the research question is how the two are defined or if there are even connections between the two. Within the articles of research, there are two different theories that are seen. One is the theory that the Drug trafficking organizations are in partnership with terror groups for drug smuggling as well as providing drugs. The other is that Terror groups are engaged in business with drug

Within the past ten years, there has been a large increase in the trafficking of drugs. Trafficking in these and other materials is usually distinguished as very high levels of corporation and the existence of powerful society of criminals. While such hobbies had a presence in the past, the pair on the scale and the geographic scope of the modern challenge are revolutionary. The worth of drug trafficking around the world was approximated at $1.3 trillion and it is still growing.

In recent years, the link between organized crime, terrorism, and drug trafficking has become increasingly intertwined. The interactions between these three organizations have facilitated terrorism on a global scale as the activities perpetrated by these groups have demonstrated. These formerly independent endeavors have not only began to collaborate with each other, but discernable trends have emerged due to their collaboration.

The illegal business of drugs is very lucrative and criminals will use bribes to corrupt authorities. Corruption can involved the direct participation of authorities or the laissez faire attitude to facilitate the movement of drugs along Panama’s territory jeopardizing the good governance. Corruption does not only relate to authorities, but also in the society where many Panamanians accept bribes and prefer to work in drug business, rather than in an honest job. This problem can result in poverty, poor governance and distrust in authorities. In addition to the effectiveness of corruption, drug dealer will have to legalize the money they get. Money laundering is the mechanism to support and fund their activities. Moreover, terrorist organizations use money laundering to hide or conceal the origins and of their money. In the same way, the scale of money laundering can reach Latin American region and connect international terrorist organizations among them. For example, in 2011 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested a member of the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah for tracking cocaine and money laundering in Mexico, Colombia, and Panama. Narco-terrorism affects Panama and the region causing shocking problems for the government and society, destroying its moral values, bringing about corruption, and disguising

Transitional criminal organizations have negatively impact the global economy. In 2009, these groups generated $810 billion due to their criminal activities which is equal to 1.5% of the global GDP United (Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2013). Their crimes have undermined many nations’ abilities to provide a quality of life to its citizens and the stability of many financial institutions. Overall, it allows for the uneven distribution of wealth and power of the globalization process.