28 February 2011

Copper thefts rise to an all-time high

Price of metal now so high that thieves are stealing copper wire and metal covers at an alarming rate.

The Narco Effect and the Politicization of Mexican Media

Curious but interesting piece on the Mexican media and the portrayal of the drug lords.

26 February 2011

Report e-mail scams, National Fraud Authority urges

Go to : http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/ and report your emails

21 February 2011

Kidnappings, incarceration and the world's worst heroin habit

Russia's curious refusal to use methadone substitution therapy to cure heroin addicts.

Police release names of "Costa del Crime" wanted

Presumably, all supposed to be hiding in Spain. Article could be clearer!

15 February 2011

Transnational Crime in the Developing World

Report from Global Financial integrity. Author is Jeremy Haken. I havent had a chance to read it yet, but here's how it summarizes itself:
"This report analyzes the scale, flow, profit distribution, and impact of 12 different types of illicit trade: drugs, humans, wildlife, counterfeit goods and currency, human organs, small arms, diamonds and colored gemstones, oil, timber, fish, art and cultural property, and gold."

Must be worth a quick peruse. Thanks, Monty for sending the link.

Fake alcohol on sale in many UK off-licenses

Fake vodka, I knew about. But fake wine! This is serious!

10 February 2011

FBI probes Chinese cyberattacks on oil groups

Attacks intended to gain economically useful information, thus allegedly industrial espionage.

06 February 2011

Britain's most notorious gangs

Telegraph piece on recent gangs in UK cities.

Coalition to scrap sex trafficking safeguards

Again, not sure to what degree there's an element of special pleading here. The scrapping of the Met unit was a strange thing to do, and, if true, the refusal to implement EU policy is equally odd. But there is an ongoing debate on just how big a problem there is. Both sides are equally vociferous. Huge possibilities for academic research...but presumably no funding...

American Football: Under-age sex trade booming at Super Bowl

Odd article. Not sure if activists going for publicity on the back of SuperBowl hype, if there's a general problem with US sporting events and child prostitution or what exactly.