The emerging threat of transnational organized crime from the East.

The article explores the characteristics of ethnic Chinese criminal groups and their involvement in transnational criminal activities. Author describes this criminal activity as opportunistic entrepreneurial activity, conducted exclusively through individual and organizational guanxi networks, whose members share common characteristics such as, language (dialect group), lineage and natal place. Systemically, it is a global trade network in prohibited commodities and services. Its component parts consist of: bankers, suppliers, refiners, exporters, transporters, importers, and distributors, who are in, or have access to gaunxi networks. These Chinese criminals are involved in transnational criminal activities like drug production and smuggling of drugs, weapons, luxury automobiles, yachts, and consumer goods, counterfeiting currency, credit cards and agricultural goods, theft of computer parts, manipulation in trading in commodity and stock market. The article also discusses the characteristics of Chinese criminal groups. Linkage between private investment and criminal groups is also discussed. The author also explains how national aspirations and global smuggling are linked and this has led to formation of transnational trading network. Also expounded is the fact that a global nexus of such criminal groups threatens the western economies and steps should be taken to understand their operation and cope with them.