NCJ Number
190403
Journal
Jane's Intelligence Review Volume: 13 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2001 Pages: 12-13
Editor(s)
Christopher C. Aaron
Date Published
September 2001
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article briefly examines the relationship between East Asian and Russian organized crime as a result of the manipulation of emerging market opportunities.
Abstract
As a result of the advancements of financial and technological globalization and use in economic interdependence within the global marketplace since 1991, East Asia and Russia have created an atmosphere attracting international crime gangs or groups. This article examined the linkage between the Russian and East Asian organized crime groups, most notably the Japanese yakuza, Chinese triads, and Korean groups. The article provides examples indicating how most relations between Russian and East Asian crime groups can be characterized as short-term alliances. However, over the past few years East Asian groups appear to have established more direct penetration of Russian territory. Asian groups have taken advantage of economic opportunities in regions neighboring the Russian Far East. The most notable and destructive activity has been the drug trade. Russian groups have entered the Asian market by pursuing alliances as opposed to seeking direct penetration. Over the past decade, Russian groups have developed partnerships with their criminal counterparts in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, North Korea, and Thailand through money laundering, prostitution, cross-border trade, and illegal migration. The current trends indicate that Russian organized crime is looking to expand throughout East Asia and that they have the potential to gain a greater foothold in four areas: (1) East Asian business and banking enterprises; (2) drug trade; (3) trafficking in small arms; and (4) illegal migration and the Asian sex market.