Mexican drug cartels were able to infiltrate the US Embassy and spy on anti-drug trafficking operations. From the AP (via CNN): A major drug cartel has infiltrated the Mexican attorney general’s office, and one cartel worker says he even spied on Drug Enforcement Administration operations from inside the U.S. Embassy, Mexican prosecutors said Monday. Five officials of the [...]

The current economic crisis hitting the global economy probably won’t affect the operations of al-Qaida, according to security analysts. From the AP (via Yahoo News): Al-Qaida, which gets its money from the drug trade in Afghanistan and sympathizers in the oil-rich Gulf states, is likely to escape the effects of the global financial crisis. One reason is that [...]

A contractor working in Iraq pleaded guilty for selling Iraqi fuel on the black market.  From the AP (via Google News): A former Army contractor pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing nearly $40 million worth of jet and diesel fuel from a U.S. Army base in Iraq and selling it on the black market. Lee W. Dubois, 32, of [...]

The president of Nigeria is looking for help in developing a system that would track oil in the same fashion as blood diamonds. From the AP (via the Washington Post): Nigeria’s president called Thursday for help finding a way to fingerprint crude oil stocks in order to combat the theft and lucrative overseas sale of unrefined petroleum, [...]

United Nations Peacekeepers are increasingly tackling issues of organized crime in hot spots around the world where conflicts have occurred.  From the AP (via Washington Post): U.N. police have been helping combat gang and drug crime in Haiti, human trafficking and financial crimes in Kosovo, illicit drug trafficking in Guinea Bissau, illicit arms trafficking in Congo, illicit [...]

Source: “Thanks, me heartie,” The Economist, July 19, 2008, pg. 74.

The 121 tons is the equivalent of the tusks from 11,000 elephants.  Source: “Round the horn,” The Economist, July 19, 2008, pg. 68.

The Former President of Taiwan has admitted to wiring money to a bank in Switzerland as part of a corruption investigation. From the AP (via the IHT): Taiwan will enlist the help of U.S. and Singaporean authorities in an investigation into alleged money laundering by former President Chen Shui-bian, an official said. Taiwan has been working with Swiss authorities [...]

According to Italy’s national retailers’ association, 7.2 Billion Euros ($10.25 Billion) was generated in sales of counterfeit goods in 2006. Source: Dow Jones, “Italy Contraband Market Europe’s No.1: Revenue Top EUR 7 Billion-Assoc,” Smart Money, October 24, 2007.

Source:  International Intellectual Property Alliance, ” IIPA 2006 ” Special 301″ Recommendations,” Asian Pacific Region, February 13, 2006.