A study of the globalization of international organized crime explains how both global crime and terrorism are fueled by Western affluence and how demands for illegal wares and services have led to the spread of organized crime.

"This book aims to describe and demystify what makes criminal gangs so culturally powerful. It examines their codes of conduct, initiation rites, secret communications methods, origin myths, symbols, and the like that imbue the gangsters with the pride and nonchalance that goes hand in hand with their criminal activities. Mobsters are everywhere in the movies, on television, and on websites. Contemporary societies are clearly fascinated by them. Why...

Drug and human trafficking are longstanding and pervasive problems. Federal law enforcement agencies have noted the use of online marketplaces, such as social media sites and messaging platforms, in drug and human trafficking. Further, agencies have expressed concern about traffickers' increased use of virtual currencies--that is, digital representations of value that are usually not government-issued legal tender. This report examines what is known...