Crime

International Crime

Crimes that take place in two or more countries are referred to as international crimes. There are several types of large scale crimes that affect more than one nation.

Drug Trafficking

The transportation and selling of drugs commonly involves several countries. Drugs may be grown and manufactured in one country, and then shipped to several other countries for distribution. The United States leads the War On Drugs and is heavily involved in attempts to intercept and destroy illegal drugs and incarcerate the drug dealers and manufacturers. The United Nations has a branch called The Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention that attempts to stop drug traffickers and encourages other nations to fight against the widespread creation and selling of drugs.

Money Laundering

When money is gained through illegal methods such as robbery or embezzlement, it may be traceable through the serial numbers or other defining characteristics. This money is therefore considered to be "dirty" and in need of laundering. The criminals who have stolen this money will put it into a financial institution, most commonly a foreign bank or offshore account. From there, the funds will be moved around to other accounts, invested and sent into even more countries. By the time the criminals reclaim all of the money from the various accounts, it will be made up of different bills, and therefore untraceable to the original crime, or "clean".

Arms Trafficking

Arms trafficking is the illegal selling of guns and ammunition. It is a common international crime, and the weapons involved often go to the highest bidder. Arms trafficking, or gunrunning, is most often prevalent in countries that are in a state of political upheaval and unrest. Armies that might not otherwise have access to arms may be able to find a private seller who will provide them with desired weapons.

Terrorism

While a comprehensive definition for the word terrorism is not available, the most basic description refers to an act of "unlawful violence and war." Today, terrorist attacks have become more prevalent and large scale. In the United States, the largest and most obvious example is the Sept. 11th attacks. This has brought about a new level alertness to the possibility of terrorists strikes.

Other crimes that take place on an international market include prostitution, counterfeiting rings and various types of fraud. Because they involve more than one country, these crimes can be very difficult to trace and even harder to stop.