CDI - 4

Organized Crime Group

(7:30 pm 8:30 pm)

by:
Tanudra, Jayson A.

Submitted to :
Andre Cardinas

TIJUANA CARTEL

Home
base: Northern
Mexico
(Tijuana
Criminal activities: Drug trafficking, contract killings,
Boss: Eduardo
Arellano

and
Baja)
bribery, racketeering
Felix

The fall of the Colombian cartels in the 1990s created a vacuum that three
Mexican cartels have more than adequately filled. Specifically, they are the Sinaloa
cartel, headed by Joaquin Guzman; the Juarez cartel, headed by Vicente Carrillo
Fuentes; and the Tijuana cartel, probably headed by Eduardo Arellano Felix.
The DEA regards the Tijuana cartel, also known as the Arellano Felix Organization
(AFO), as the most violent and aggressive among the three, and turf wars between
the three have cost hundreds of lives over the last decade. It is believed that the
AFO hands out as much as $1 million a week in bribes to stay in business.

YAMAGUCHI-GUMI

Homebase: Kobe,Japan
Criminal activities: Extortion, gambling, gunrunning, prostitution, drug trafficking,
loan-sharking
Boss: Shinobu
Tsukasa
(real
name:
Kenichi
Shinoda)
The Kobe-based Yamaguchi-gumi dates back to 1915, but owes its current status as
Japans largest and most powerful yakuza (criminal syndicate) to ultra-violent
mastermind Kazuo Taoka, the organizations longtime oyabun. In fact, his death in
1981 was sufficiently profound to shake the groups foundations.
Today, the Yamaguchi-gumis membership is estimated at around 40,000 and is led
by its sixth don, the diplomatic -- but no less violent -- Shinobu Tsukasa, who took
over in 2005. Tsukasa is attempting to lead the organization north toward Tokyo,
despite his imprisonment for possessing a firearm.

UNITED BAMBOO

Homebase: Taiwan
Criminal activities: Debt collection, contract killing, loan-sharking, gambling, bribery
Boss: None
Believed to be Taiwans top triad, with as many as 10,000 members, United Bamboo
operates according to a decidedly old-school code of ethics that stresses unity
among
members
as
well
as
harmony
with
the
people.
Although they have repeatedly denied it, United Bamboo is believed to be
entrenched in drug trafficking, and their sphere of influence stretches into the KMT,
Taiwans ruling political party, as well as throughout Asia, the Pacific, Europe, and the
Americas. Unlike other syndicates, United Bamboo is not overseen by a single boss,
but rather has a more horizontal structure to its hierarchy.

KURATONG BALELENG

History
The group was originally established by the Botanical Youth Club in 1986 to guard
against the spread of communist guerrillas in Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del
Norte and Zamboanga del Sur provinces. The first leader, chosen directly by the
military, was Ongkoy Parojinog, who allegedly used the group both for its official
purpose as well as to conduct illegal activities. Parojinog was later killed by
Philippine soldiers. When the group disbanded in 1988, they continued to operate as
an organized crime syndicate.
Mindanao mafia
At times other gangs used the name Kuratong Baleleng to cover their own activities.
Eventually, the group splintered into multiple, smaller groups around the region. The
groups are involved in a variety of illegal activities, including robbery, smuggling,
kidnapping, murder, extortion, drugs and illegal gambling. The gang is rooted in the
Christian Cebuano community, but has ties to Maguindanao guerillas, which led
Muslim Maguindanao clans to become members of the Kuratong Baleleng.
According to military intelligence, part of the group's strength is that it is protected by
both local and national government officials.
1996 PACC Murder case
In 1996, 11 members of Kuratong Baleleng were killed by the forces of the
Presidential Anti-Crime Commission, led by Panfilo Lacson. In 2003, the High
Tribunal ordered the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to try Lacson and 33 other
police officials. The trial court dismissed the criminal case, for lack of probable
cause.[5] The special prosecuting team later asked the High Tribunal to remand the
case to the trial court to present new evidence against Senator Lacson, inter alia. On
May 2, 2008, the Supreme Court resolved to consider the appeal.