Illicit Trafficking : A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)

A detailed survey of a growing scourge of the global economy—the smuggling of people, materials, and money. Smuggling used to be a family business. Today it is big business. Illicit Trafficking: A Reference Handbook offers a thorough introduction to the problems of illegal trafficking that have emerged from and been intensified by globalization. This title provides an examination of how criminal enterprises have exploited opportunities to enrich themselves and broadened their involvement in many areas of illegal trafficking while compromising or evading legal authorities. The coverage includes a brief history of illicit trafficking, analyzes current problems, and examines local and global containment policies such as Presidential Decision Directive 42. It also explores key international agreements on money laundering, bank secrecy laws, extradition treaties, and technologies that have exploited legitimate business opportunities to enrich their profits while compromising or evading legal authorities. Entries include transnational organized criminal groups involved in illicit trafficking activities, including profiles of prominent figures engaged in money laundering, drug smuggling, and arms trafficking Annotated chronology of key events concerning international agreements on fighting illegal trafficking