NCJ Number
189112
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 49 Issue: 5 Dated: June 2001 Pages: 47-50
Date Published
June 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article presents information regarding the United States Customs Cybersmuggling Center also known as C3.
Abstract
C3 is a place where cyber-sleuths can hunt for perpetrators conducting unlawful overseas transactions through the Internet and interdict “virtual” smuggling of everything from child pornography to illegal pharmaceuticals. The 100 Customs cybercrime specialists nationwide can help in the search of a suspected child pornographer’s workplace or residence, as well as help police agencies with the forensic examination of computers found at crime scenes and seized from suspects. Also, C3 has classroom workstations for training that can accommodate two dozen people at a time. The Customs Service is involved in high-tech law enforcement because there is almost always a foreign connection in domestic child pornography cases. Images downloaded from the Internet or distributed by U.S. citizens often involve victims exploited and photographed in other countries. While the FBI routinely investigates child pornography, some former Justice Department prosecutors say not enough is being done by either the bureau or the department to stop this criminal activity. Distributors of child pornography are a top priority of the C3 team but Americans who download pictures off the Internet or trade them aren’t going to go unnoticed. Right now, about 250 suspects in the U.S. are being monitored. C3 also focuses on investigating international money laundering, drug trafficking, intellectual and property rights violations, the sale of illegal contaminants, gun-running and the distribution of weapons of mass destruction. Agents probe international economic espionage and the import and export of cultural contraband stolen from other nations or native people. Pharmaceuticals bought and sold over the Internet are another area C3 handles but proves to be tough in prosecution because of the small transactions. Child pornography cases yield better results in court. Last year 324 convictions were secured with the help of C3.