NCJ Number
216790
Journal
Crime, Law and Social Change Volume: 45 Issue: 3 Dated: 2006 Pages: 185-200
Date Published
2006
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Using a case study of a hashish and cocaine importing network (the Caviar network coordinated from Montreal, Canada), this study examined how individuals involved primarily in legitimate occupational enterprises contributed to the structuring of illegal drug trafficking operations.
Abstract
Eighty-two traffickers were involved in planning, coordination, and physical movement of the drugs. Twenty-eight of those with roles in the network operation were nontraffickers whose primary occupational identity was as legitimate professionals or entrepreneurs. They contributed necessary resources to the operation, which included financial investments, money management, logistical and equipment supply, communication brokerage, and legitimate business fronts. They did not have any direct involvement in planning, coordination, and physical movement of drugs. Although most of the nontraffickers in the Caviar network had minor roles in the structure and operations of the criminal enterprise, a select few participated well beyond the scope of their legitimate trades. Twenty-two participants in the Caviar network were charged. Six were nontraffickers. One financial investor was considered critical in the network's resources and received one of the more severe sentences. Two of the nontraffickers were legitimate entrepreneurs who made important financial contributions to the network, but their participation was more peripheral and discrete. A few of the nontraffickers were active in bringing other participants, including traffickers, into the network; and they were influential directors of relationships with both nontraffickers and traffickers. Data on this case study emerged from a 2-year investigation. The primary data source was information submitted as evidence during the trials of the 22 participants. 2 figures, 1 table, 4 notes, and 34 references