A documentary states that United States citizens account for 25 percent of all child sex tourists worldwide.  The film, “Playground”, by filmmaker Libby Spears, quotes the figure from the organization End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT).

Source: Michelle Nichols, “Documentary examines U.S. child sex trade,” Reuters.com, April 29. 2009.

The market rate to purchase a fake university diploma in the streets of China is between 200 to 300 yuan ($29-$44).  In 2002, Chinese educational authorities estimated that 500,000 had forged degrees.  University officials in France stated that around 3 to 4 percent of all applicants to their schools were found to have held counterfeit degrees.

Source:  AFP, “China learns lesson from fake degrees”, Google News, April 28, 2009.

Fake mobile phones consist of up to 20 percent of all mobile phones sold in China. The phones, which are sold for as little as $20, resemble legitimate phones such as the iPhone.  Many of the counterfeit phones have exploded while being used.

Source: David Barboza, “In China, Knockoff Cellphones Are a Hit,” New York Times, April 27, 2009.

Spammers are capitalizing on the swine flu outbreak by sending out ads for remedies of the flu.  When the user attempts to purchase the drug, hackers steal the users credit card information.

From Reuters:

Many of the e-mails direct recipients to websites for fake online pharmacies, according to McAfee Inc, the world’s second-largest security software maker.

They offer promised treatments for the virus.

“You are not getting what you think you are buying,” said the firm’s director of research, Dave Marcus.

Read the entire story at Reuters.

In 2008, 7,700 tones of opium was harvested in Afghanistan, down from 8,200 in 2007.

The Taliban earns between $100 to $200 million from the heroin trade.

Source: Jonathon Burch, “Six tonne drug blaze a small step in Afghan battles,” Reuters, April 26, 2009.

According to a Italian think tank, the Italian Mafia earns $17 billion (12.6 Euros) from loansharking each year.  An estimated 180,000 merchants directly or indirectly receive their loans from the Mafia in Italy.

Overall, the Mafia generates about $167 billion (130 billion Euros) in revenue.

Source: Associated Press, “Italy’s Mafia thrives in global financial meltdown,” Google News, April 25, 2009.

The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations released a report stating that Myanmar refugees are being handed off to human traffickers after being deported from Malaysia.  The refugees who are unable to pay for their release are forced to work in brothels or restaurants in Thailand.

From the Associated Press report:

According to the Senate committee report, “a few thousand” Myanmar migrants in recent years might have become victims of extortion and trafficking once they were deported across Malaysia’s northern border with Thailand.

“Upon arrival at the Malaysia-Thailand border, human traffickers reportedly take possession of the migrants,” the report said.

The report quoted one unidentified migrant as saying women “are sold at a brothel if they look good. If they are not beautiful, they might sell them at a restaurant or housekeeping job.”

Source:  Julia Zappei, “Malaysia vows action on Myanmar human trafficking”, Google News, April 24, 2009.

Police in New York City arrested 6 sellers of counterfeit goods who’s products included pairs of fake Obama Nikes.  According to the New York Daily News, the fake shoes were found with various other counterfeit products, such as Prada and Coach handbags.  The Obama shoes were sold as a line of Nike shoes.

See a picture of the shoe at the New York Daily News here.

There are an estimated 100,000 private security guards employed in Guatemala to protect businesses and families from violence caused by drug traffickers, organized crime, and gangs, according to the Washington Post.  In 2008, over 6,300 people were murdered in the country.

Source: Ann-Marie O’Connor, “Guards in Guatemala: Protection and Threat,” Washington Post, April 24, 2009.

According to the DEA in Dallas, Texas, Mexican Drug Cartels are shipping drugs to the Italian Mafia.  The price of cocaine can be sold for up to three times higher in Europe than in the United States.

Source:  Jason Trahan, “Mexican cartels unloading drugs to Italian mafia,” Dallas Morning News, April 20, 2009.