Organized crime is a problem all over the world. There are the Mexican and Colombian drug cartels, the Russian mafia, Asian triads, and Eastern European crime syndicates, to name a few. It is estimated that organized crime generates more than a trillion dollars in profits each year.1 An organized crime syndicate operates very similarly to a government or business. There are different sources of income from drug and human trafficking, arms trafficking, prostitution, blackmail, protection money and legitimate business activities. It also provides protection similar to that offered by the police and military.2 Much of the money they collect must be "cleaned" before it can be seized by law enforcement and many businesses legitimate parties will not touch this money if it can be traced. If this money were to become useless by freezing the accounts or if the money was seized, it would cripple the organization because without this money they cannot repay their debts if they buy their medicines on credit, buy weapons or ammunition , pay their bills. associates or corrupt officials. One of the major problems in fighting organized crime is that many often launder their money outside of the United States in order to avoid laws put in place to prevent laundering from occurring. Some of the major countries are Bahamas, Cook Islands, Dominica, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Panama, Philippines, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Vincent, Russia, Israel and the Cayman Islands. and the Grenadines.3 Individuals, businesses and criminal organizations use these countries to keep money out of the jurisdiction of local authorities. It also makes money difficult to trace once it moves into a different account...... middle of paper...... INTERPOL. May 13, 2010. http://www.justice.gov/usncb/whoweare/mission.php (accessed May 13, 2010). Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of. Financial Crimes Report to the Public. May 2005. http://www.fbi.gov/publications/financial/fcs_report052005/fcs_report052005.htm#h1 (accessed May 17, 2010). “Money Laundering Countries.” National Center for Policy Analysis (2000): 1. Web. May 23, 2010. .Muth, Mike. CALEA online. http://www.calea.org/online/newsletter/No76/interpol.htm (accessed May 14, 2010). Organized crime - Structure. http://law.jrank.org/pages/1627/Organized-Crime-Structure.html (accessed May 20, 2010). The Times of India. May 12, 2010. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Indian-man-on-Interpol-list-arrested-in-US/articlesshow/5922743.cms (accessed May 14, 2010).