Bibliographical entries include the subject's aliases, if any, relevant dates, and the country in which that person was known professionally in the field of crime. Entries where crimes are committed in more than three countries or on the high seas are designated as international. In the U.S., the roots of organized crime are found in the 19th century gangs that controlled New York; since then, organized crime has flourished through extortion, bribery, the purchase of political influence, the distribution of illegal liquor during Prohibition, and drug trafficking today. A large proportion of entries are related to the creation, development, and operation of the national crime syndicate in the U.S. Today, the syndicate is no longer dominated by Mafia leaders, but has become a polyglot organization associated with the Medellin drug cartel and other foreign drug organizations in France, Sicily, China, and Japan.