Many experts share the view that an international network of criminal enterprises is threatening the aspirations of civilized societies for economic and social prosperity and justice. Organized crime is a much greater menace than random street crime because it is organized in large groups of sophisticated criminals who plot devious strategies against an unsuspecting "polite" society. Traditionally, the impact of organized crime groups has been limited to host milieus, but in the last few decades, organized crime groups have imitated orthodox business corporations and globalized their operations. The collapse of the Soviet Union, together with the dismantling of frontiers within the European Community, has produced an unprecedented threat from organized crime. In this process, the old crime cartels have been joined by many "upstart" groups. The most dangerous of these groups are Russian, largely because much of their leadership is composed of ex-KGB agents. The threat from organized crime groups has increased as national groups have begun to develop international strategic alliances. Although the illicit activities of these criminal networks encompass the entire spectrum of law-breaking, the most lucrative and threatening activities involve drug trafficking, money laundering, and the smuggling of raw resources, weapons, and nuclear materials out of the former East bloc. 36 notes