The Merger: How Organized Crime is taking over Canada and the World

by Jeffrey Robinson

There was a time when crime was local and gang members killed each other in turf wars. Not any more. In today’s economy, virtually any business, including the illicit ones, can benefit by expanding into new markets, by drawing upon resources that were previously inaccessible, and by exploiting the latest technology to create organizational efficiencies. Like their colleagues in other industries, crime syndicates are also coming to terms with the effects of globalization. The benefits of co-operation are obvious.

Today, the Russians are in business with the Mafia running fraudulent fuel-tax scams and illegal gambling, and establishing drug distribution networks in the U.S. and Canada. The Russians have also gone into business with the Colombians to deal cocaine and arms along the eastern seaboard. In turn, the Colombians have worked out agreements with the Italians to smuggle cocaine into Europe and North America and to launder drug money. In both cases, Canada is a primary market. For such sophisticated criminal organizations it is also the figurative equivalent of a candy store.

In the course of his research, Jeffrey Robinson developed contacts in police organizations all over the world – not least among the RCMP. These same sources have given him profound insight into the merging of criminal capabilities that now poses a frightening challenge to law enforcement agencies all over the world. Canadians will be shocked to discover the extent to which some of their fellow citizens are involved.

Genres: Crime, True Crime

400 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 1999

Reviews

[Pablo Estevez · Rating 1 out of 5]

I appreciate this book highlighted some keys issues about organised crime a few years ago, and the importance of banking. But I feel this has been done so much better by other authors.

Robinson's endless stream of anecdotal, often disconnected stories with no references is difficult to take seriously. Other writers have managed to include references without compromising sources. It's also overlaid with so much cynicism and stereotypes; lack of comment is taken as confirmation; leaps are made or heavily implied over thin ground. I don't doubt that much of this was true, and certainly in general terms in the interaction between OC groups, licit and illicit individuals. But it is unfortunate that it is all undermined by this casual, stream of consciousness style.

Misha Glenny's McMafia was a bit better in my view, without losing a narrative style, but Saviano is the king.

[Robert Isenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robinson has his tough-guy moments -- he has a habit of using words like "slimeball" to describe specific mobsters, much as the Philadelphia Daily News would -- but the reportage is also very alarming. Robinson not only knows his stuff; his 2000 expose is a wrenching preamble to the horrors of 2001, demonstrating how a cell-phone and a good lawyer can help violent criminals migrate anywhere in the world. He's particularly hard on Slavik syndicates, but given the make-up of the Kremlin these days (plus a couple slaughtered journalists), the criticism is more warranted now than ever. He makes a shocking connection between South African gangs (who, thanks to Apartheid, are master-forgers of governments documents) and Nigerian con-artists (who, thanks to crushing poverty, have become the most successful fraudsters in the world). Nigerians are famously pacifist, but the country is amazing Internet-savvy; South Africa is famously violent, but even electricity is scarce on the Homelands. This marriage of two diverse cultural skill-sets is just one example of cross-national collaboration -- borne by colonialism, nurtured by globalization, virally spread by rampant technological advances. Scariest of all is that all this border-jumping still occurs; while the West focuses on terrorism, this book is a reminder that secular mobsterism and money-laundering hasn't been in the least deterred.

[Alex Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bible to read and study when it comes to the last 100 years of international crime. Jeffrey Robinson, as always, delivers in depth research and strings it all together in a way that entertains and tracks while jumping around from one organization to another, one country to another, one continent to another. Highly recommend.

[Elie-Joe Dergham · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book that outlines how different organized crimes cooperate and conduct business together. Even though it is an old book, there are still multiple aspects of the book still valid till today.

[Laszlo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second economy !!.?..in some parts of the world, is the # 1 !!
Anyone knows what Illigal means ?!??
Learn a lot,
Thanks Laszlo

[The Devine Ms Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

A shocking book about global crime. Shocking because the book is non-fiction. Another depressing eye-opener about some very nasty people. Considering this book was written about 15 years ago, just imagine how much more prolific these avaricious people are. Well written

[Hossein]

criminal capitalism ??

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well documented and researched and many of the theories of the author been proven accurate. This book clearly shows that transnational crime is global and the amount of money involved is staggering.