Although a case is presented to illustrate the discussion, this ongoing study of Chinese alien smuggling rings uses multiple sources for data collection, including interviews with informants, smugglers, illegal aliens and their families, and law enforcement officials in the United States, China, and Hong Kong. Findings do not yield any evidence of the involvement of large crime families in Chinese alien smuggling. There are a small number of smugglers, with a core membership of typically no more than four. The smugglers come to know each other through an informal social network of friends and business contacts. The smuggling alliance is a business arrangement that involves only those who have key resources to contribute. Although there is little hierarchical differentiation, the division of labor is highly developed among smugglers; anonymity is a standard code of conduct. Finally, there is an absence of corruption among local law enforcement or government officials in Chinese alien smuggling. The organizational and behavioral features of these smuggling rings can best be understood as task forces with specific goals that involve individuals with specific functions. The alliances are fluid and temporary. The continuation of the operation rests on the availability of clients and the sociolegal conditions of the market. 2 notes and 25 references