U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

From Triads to Snakeheads: Organised Crime and Illegal Migration Within Britain's Chinese Community

NCJ Number
235138
Journal
Global Crime Volume: 12 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2011 Pages: 93-111
Author(s)
Daniel Silverstone
Date Published
May 2011
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This article examines the emergence of organized crime within the Chinese community in the United Kingdom.
Abstract
This article revisits the continued existence of organized crime within the Chinese community, with particular reference to snakeheads and the trafficking or smuggling of illegal migrants. This article begins by exploring the history of Chinese organized crime within the United Kingdom and situates its continued existence within an ever more diverse 'Chinese community'. It then draws on research involving three sets of qualitative data: one set is based on 60 interviews with law enforcement personnel based in China and the United Kingdom as well as key stakeholders within the Chinese community; the other set is based on structured questionnaires issued to 25 Chinese residents currently illegally residing in the United Kingdom; the final set is a review of the five free Chinese newspapers analyzed over a 2-week period for relevant advertisements relating to migration. It then explores the mechanisms which enable illegal migrants to obtain criminal employment and discusses the motivations of those involved. (Published Abstract)

Downloads

Availability