In Hong Kong, as in other countries, organized crime is able to flourish and profit because corrupt officials can be seduced by money and other advantages. Activities such as drug trafficking, prostitution, and extortion are most profitable when officialdom is blind. The effects of corruption extend beyond enriching a few corrupt officials. It produces attitudes that undermine assumptions of fairness and stability in the community, breeds injustice, offends moral values, demoralizes the taker of bribes, causes bitterness among those unable to pay bribes, and distorts standards and values. When bribes are paid to prevent enforcement of the law, respect for the law is seriously weakened. Combatting corruption requires the enlistment of strong public support for the fight against corruption, a powerful legislative framework within which an anticorruption agency can work, a dedicated and effective anticorruption agency, and an effective and incorruptible legal and judicial system that is prepared to treat corruption as a serious crime deserving of severe sentences. The fight against corruption demands dogged perseverance, intellectual skill, and an ability to remain optimistic in the face of disappointments and setbacks.