16.18.1. "The New Underworld Order"
+ Claire Sterling's "Thieve's World"
- (Sterling is well-known for her conservative views on
political matters, having written the controversial "The
Terror Connection," which basically dismissed the role of
the CIA and other U.S. agencies in promoting terrorism.
"Thieve's World" continues the alarmist stance, but has
some juicy details anyway.)
- she argues for more law enforcement
+ but it was the corrupt police states of Nazi Germany,
Sovet Russia, etc., that gave so many opportunities for
modern corruption
- and the CIA-etc. drug trade, Cold War excuses, and
national security state waivers
+ in the FSU, the Russian Mafia is the chief beneficiary
of privatization...only they had the cash and the
connections to make the purchases (by threatening non-
Mob bidders, by killing them, etc.)
- as someone put in, the world's first complete
criminal state
16.18.2. "Is the criminal world interested in crypto? Could they be
early adopters of these advanced techniques?"
- early use: BBS/Compuserve messages, digital flash paper,
codes
- money-laundering, anstalts, banks
- Triads, chop marks
- Even though this use seem inevitable, we should probably be
careful here. Both because the clientele for our advice may
be violent, and ditto for law enforcement. The conspiracy
and RICO laws may be enough to get anyone who advises such
folks into major trouble. (Of course, advice and consulting
may happen throught the very same untraceable technology!)
16.18.3. crypto provides some schemes for more secure drug
distribution
- cells, dead drops, secure transfers to foreign accounts
- communication via pools, or remailers
- too much cash is usually the problem...
- "follow the money" (FinCEN)
- no moral qualms...nearly all drugs are less dangerous than
alcohol is...that drug was just too popular to outlaw
- this drug scenario is consistent with the Triad/Mob
scenario
By Tim May, see README
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