Organized crime is big business, and like many other businesses during the past
century, it has gone global. While the Mafia remains the most familiar and
best-established crime group in the United States, dozens of similar outfits
exist in nations around the world. They observe their own criminal traditions
and practices and pursue their illegal interests through the network of the
international underworld. Drug trade, human trafficking, illegal arms sales,
corruption of governments these are the signature endeavors of outlaw groups
that subvert the law on every continent and operate by codes of violence and
dishonesty. Until now, these criminals have derived strength from operating in
the shadows.