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enforcement interests.4
Asian Gangs/Triads5
Asian organized crime, as many can attest, has been on the rise in the past few years.
These particular groups are very difficult to deal with and truly require a particular
level of expertise. There are so many rules or cultural codes to follow that typical
investigators simply cannot bluff their way through investigations of these groups.
The rules of interview and interrogation are very different and need to be followed
to net good results.
© 2000 by CRC Press LLC
In general, the Asian organized crime groups have been very attracted to financial
crimes. Their claim to fame has been in the area of counterfeit money and credit
cards. The most well-known triads come out of Hong Kong. This term “triad” is more
commonly used by the British; in reality, the correct term is Hung Mun (secret society
or dark society). Understanding the true culture and proper use of the language is key
to establishing credibility within these communities. The investigator must make an
effort to understand the subtleties of the culture and appreciate the history of crimi-
nal activities with which the Asian community has been dealing for centuries. These
secret societies have been in existence for over 300 years. They are a result of the unrest
between two dynasties trying to gain control over China.
Nigerian (West African) Crime Groups
For the last 10 years or so, the criminals associated with West African crime cells (or,
specifically, tribal groups such as the Ebu’os) have found it very profitable to enter
into the financial crimes arena. They leave a trail of fraud schemes and related crimes
from the time they leave Nigeria to their arrival in the United Kingdom or United
States.
Nigeria is a country of little or no recordkeeping; very few records, such as birth
certificates, marriage documents, and driver’s permits, exist. This lack of records has
resulted in the opportunity for persons to assume identities, travel away from their
homeland, and cause great havoc for law enforcement personnel who try to identify
and track them. Even when they are identified and deported back, they seem to
reappear under new identities to continue in their criminal enterprises, such as their
significant drug-trafficking operations, particularly the distribution of heroin.
How has this group been so successful at getting into other countries, remaining
there, and enhancing their criminal activity? One advantage they have has already
been identified — the lack of proper records and documentation. It is relatively
simple for them to use deceptive and illegal methods to leave their country, never
intending to return. They have been able to secure temporary visas or passports
indicating intentions ranging from being a tourist to being a visiting student. They
then abuse the system and simply overstay their passport and visa rights. By this time,
they have hooked up with their native counterparts and have only one thing in mind
— to support their new lifestyle away from the poverty of Nigeria by committing
fraud and an array of financial and drug-related crimes.
A favorite technique of many of them is for the men to seek the confidence of
women and to promise them the world and to return them to Nigeria as members of
their (bogus) royal families or tribal groups. As seen in our earlier Social Security case,
they use the women to help perpetrate their crimes. This is a move in a new direction
by this group; in the earlier stages of their criminal activity, they could be identified
rather readily because of the tribal scars on their faces or characteristic handwriting
used on fraudulent documents (ranging from credit cards to employment applica-
tions). Black, non-Nigerian women have become significant pawns today, offering
cover for males who play the role of puppeteer by directing and pulling strings to
force them to act on their behalf and to avoid detection.
© 2000 by CRC Press LLC
One of the most significant crimes attributed almost entirely to Nigerians is
Advance Fee Fraud (4-1-9 Fraud), which is named after the Nigerian law that iden-
tifies such fraud crimes. The scam involves targeting an individual or company and
sending a letter or fax that has all the appearance of coming from a foreign govern-
ment official. These letters are very convincing. The offer typically advises that large
sums of money need to be transferred into the recipient’s bank account. The recipi-
ents are chosen due to their stature in the business world and because they can be
trusted; however, the recipients are expected to travel to Nigeria. It is also requested
that bank account numbers and other important information (i.e., letterhead, com-
pany seals, etc.) be provided. Other aspects of the scam include currency transfers and
conversions to acceptance by cash on delivery of an array of goods and services. The
proposed benefit to the person or company receiving the letter from Nigeria is the
promise to pay commissions for handling the transactions.
In June of 1995, an American actually traveled to Nigeria only to be confronted
with threats and harassment to force compliance. This person was found murdered
in Lagos, Nigeria. This case was extreme, no doubt, but many persons from around
the globe have fallen victim to these scams and have traveled to Nigeria, only to be
greeted by impostors claiming to be public officials, ambassadors, or heads of govern-
ment who need to complete the deals. They greet their victims at the airport, but then
hold out their hands out for bribes to escort the victims to their phony leaders.
Law enforcement agencies around the world have targeted these crimes as a
global problem and have joined forces to try to establish credible relationships with
Nigerian officials. In the Appendix, we have included a bill proposed in the United
States to help combat and enforce 4-1-9 crimes. Many venues have presented and
approved similar laws.
Notes
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