Vanda Felbab-Brown, Diana Paz García, and Vibha Bajji have penned a commentary, published by the Brookings Institute, that delves into the intricate world of Chinese crime and geopolitics. The authors assert that the global expansion and multifaceted activities of Chinese criminal networks, including their alleged involvement in drug trafficking and cybercrime, necessitate heightened U.S. intelligence and law enforcement measures.
In their commentary, Felbab-Brown, Paz García, and Bajji discuss how criminal organizations originating from China have extended their reach worldwide in parallel with China's economic and geopolitical influence. They note that Chinese criminal groups are linked with the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, which smuggles drugs such as fentanyl through the U.S. southern border. "However, the scope of organized crime from China extends far beyond global drug trafficking and money laundering. Internationally, Chinese criminal groups engage in poaching and wildlife trafficking, cybercrime, and elaborate fraud and scams, also featuring people trafficking and enslavement," say the authors.
Felbab-Brown et al. observe that Chinese criminal networks operating globally provide various services to the Chinese government and the Communist Party. These services contribute to corruption networks while influencing foreign politicians and businesses. The authors highlight that one crime group known as the 14K Triad is a primary supplier of methamphetamine in the Asia-Pacific region while also providing services to the Chinese government. However, they note an evolving landscape with synthetic opioids' emergence leading to smaller family-based groups like Zhang Drug Trafficking Organization's involvement.
According to Felbab-Brown et al., there is often a lack of action from the Chinese government against top-tier Chinese criminal syndicates when these groups align with authorities' objectives. This situation makes it difficult for U.S. law enforcement to cooperate with China due to geopolitical competition in eliminating criminal organizations expanding their illegal activities close to U.S. homeland, particularly in Latin America.
Felbab-Brown, Paz García, and Bajji also highlight the activities of criminal networks beyond China. They mention groups like the Putian Gang in Bolivia and the Bang of Fujian in Chile and Spain that engage in trafficking jaguar parts, running illegal casinos, and operating marijuana plantations, often exploiting smuggled Chinese migrants. The authors note the expansion of Chinese crime groups into Latin and North America is evident in their involvement in wildlife trafficking, especially ivory, and flourishing money laundering operations. These activities have led to these groups displacing established players in the Black Peso Market and gaining prominence as key actors for Mexican cartels.
