Abstract
The Golden Triangle—the area where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar converge—is considered one of the most complicated narcotics-trafficking hotspots in the world. More research is needed, however, to understand the supply and demand resources as well as the overall structure of transnational narcotics trafficking (TransNT) in this area and neighboring regions. The present paper provides an in-depth examination of the organisational structure of TransNT in the borderland between Vietnam and Laos, using multiple qualitative approaches to identify four key aspects of trafficking groups in this area: namely, group size, the relative centrality of lead actors in the trafficking networks, the flexibility and adaptability of network operations, and the personal attributes of traffickers. Depending on the number of drug traffickers involved, TransNT in Vietnam can be separated into small, medium, and large-scale groups; however, drug markets in Vietnam are not controlled by monopolistic groups or ‘cartels’. Notably, cross-border networks tend to have a fluid structure characterised by a sophisticated modus operandi from the preparation stages to the later stages of trafficking activity, enabling the criminal networks to achieve their goals.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andreas, P. (2009). Border games: policing the U.S.-Mexico divide. New York, Cornell University press
Andreas P, Nadelmann E (2006) Policing the globe: criminalization and crime control in international relations. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Astorga, L. and D. Shirk (2010). Drug Traffiing Organizations and Counter-Drug Strategies in the U.S.-Mexican Context. Shared Responsibility: U.S.-Mexico Policy Options for Confronting Organized Crime. E. Olson, D. Shirk and A. Selee. California, The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars: 31–63
Beittel J (2011) Mexico's drug trafficking organizations: source and scope of the rising violence. Washington D.C., Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Beittel J (2013) Mexico's drug trafficking organizations: source and scope of the violence. Washington D.C., Congress Research Service
Beittel J (2015) Mexico: organized crime and drug trafficking organizations. Washington D.C., Congressional Research Service
Benson J, Decker S (2010) The organizational structure of international drug smuggling. J Crim Just 38(2):130–138
Broadhurst, R. and L. Vy (2013). Transnational Organized Crime in East and South-East Asia. East and South-East Asia: International Relations and Security Perspectives. T. Andrew. New York, Routledge: 223–236
Campbell H (2009) Drug war zone: frontline dispatches from the streets of El Paso and Juarez. University of Texas Press, Texas
Carley K, Lee J-S, Krackhardt D (2002) Destabilizing networks. Connections 24(3):79–92
Champion D (2006) Research methods for criminal justice and criminology. Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey
Chin, K.-L. and S. Zhang (2007). The Chinese connection: Cross-border drug trafficking between Myanmar and China. Final Report. the United States Department of Justice. Washington D.C., the Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice
Chouvy, P.-A. (2013). Drug trafficking in and out of the Golden triangle. An atlas of trafficking in Southeast Asia: the illegal trade in arms, drugs, people, counterfeit goods and natural resources in mainland Southeast Asia. P.-a. Chouvy. London, I.B.Tauris: 29-53
CRS (2019). Mexico: Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking Organizations. Washington D.C., Congressional Research Service (CRS): 35
Decker S, Chapman M (2008) Drug Smugglers on Drug Smuggling. Temple University Press, Pennsylvania
Dijk, J. and T. Spapens (2014). Transnational Organized Crime Network across the World. Transnational Organized Crime: An Overview from Six Continents. J. Albanese and P. Reichel. London Sage Publications Inc: 7–29
Dudley, S. (2010). Drug Traffiing Organizations in Central America: Transportistas, Mexican Cartels and Maras. Shared Responsibily: U.S. - Mexico Policy Options for Confronting Organized Crime. E. Olson, D. Shrik and A. Selee. California, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars: 63–95
Dudley, S. (2011). Drug trafficking organizations in Central America: Transportistas, Mexican cartels, and Maras. Organized crime in Central America: the northern triangle. C. Arnson and E. Olson. Washington D.C., the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars: 18-62
Hindelang M (1976) With a little help from their friends: group participation in reported delinquent behaviour. Br J Criminol 16(2):109–125
Hoa, P. T. N. (2008). Legislative implementation by Vietnam of its obligations under the United Nations drug control conventions. PhD, University of Wollongong
Jankowski M (1991) Islands in the street: gangs and Merican society. University of California Press, California
Jenner, M. (2014). Drug trafficking as a transnational crime. Handbook of Transnational Crime and Justice. P. Reichel and J. Albanese. Los Angeles, Sage Publications Inc: 65–85
Kenney, M. (2007a). From Pablo to Osama: trafficking and terrorist networks, government bureaucracies, and competitive adaptation. Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State University press
Kenney M (2007b) The architecture of drug trafficking: network forms of Organization in the Colombian Cocaine Trade. Global Crime 8(3):233–259
Kenney, M. (2007c). The rules of drug trafficking: decision making in Colombia narcotics enterprises. Handbook of Decision Making. G. Morcol. New York, Taylor & Francis Group: 361–369
Kenney M (2010) Intelligence games: comparing the intelligence capabilities of law enforcement agencies and drug trafficking enterprises. International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence 16(2):212–243
Lemieux, F. (2003). Criminal networks. Research and Evaluation. R. C. M. Police. Ottawa, Canada, Community, Contrat and Aboriginal Policing Services Directorate
Matrix Knowledge Group (2007). The illicit drug trade in the United Kingdom. Online report 20/07. A. Richman. London, Home Office
Mazzitelli A (2007) Transnational organized crime in West Africa: the additional challenge. Int Aff 83(6):1071–1090
McCarthy B, Hagan J, Cohen L (1998) Uncertainty, cooperation, and crime: understanding the decision to co-offend. Social Forces 77(1):155–184
McCoy A (1972) The politics of heroin in Southeast Asia. Harper & Row, New York
McCoy A (2003) The politics of heroin: CIA complicity in the global drug trade - Afghanistan, Southeast Asia, Central America, Colombia. Lawrence Hill Books, Chicago
McDermott, J. (2013). The FARC, the peace process and the potential criminalisation of the guerrillas. Washington D.C., American University’s Center for Latin American and Latino Studies (CLALS)
Morselli C (2009) Inside criminal networks. Springer, New York
Natarajan M, Zanella M, Yu C (2015) Classifying the variety of drug trafficking organizations. J Drug Issues 45(4):409–430
Committee NB (2010) Borderland between Vietnam and Laos Hanoi. Vietnam, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nicholson P, Truong K (2008) Drugs prosecutions in Vietnam: the modern propaganda trial. Monash UL Rev 34(2):430–456
Paoli L, Reuter P (2008) Drug trafficking and ethnic minorities in Western Europe. Eur J Criminol 5(1):13–37
Rapin A-J (2003) Ethnic minorities, drug use and harm in the highlands of northern Vietnam: a contextual analysis of the situation in six communes from son La, Lai Chau, and Lao Cai. Vietnam, Thegioi Publishing, Hanoi
Reuter, P. (2014). Drug markets and organized crime. The Oxford Handbook of Organized Crime. L. Paoli. Oxford, Oxford University Press: 359–381
Reuter P, Haaga J (1989) The Organization of High-Level Drug Markets: an exploratory study. California, RAND
Scott, M. (2010). The benefits and consequences of police crackdowns. Problem-oriented guides for police response guides series. COPS. New York, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). 1: 94
Sparrow M (1991) The application of network analysis to criminal intelligence: an assessment of the prospects. Soc Networks 13(3):251–274
Stake R (1995) The art of case study research. Sage Publications Inc, California
Thu V, Ritter A, Shanahan M, Ali R, Nhu N, Khue P, Vuong T, Giang ML (2018) Outcomes of compulsory detention compared to community-based voluntary methadone maintenance treatment in Vietnam. J Subst Abus Treat 87(April):9–15
UNODC (2014) 2014 global synthetic drugs assessment amphetamine-type stimulants and new psychoactive substances. Vienne, Austria, United Nations on Drugs and Crime
UNODC (2017) The challenge of synthetic drugs in east and South-East Asia: trends and patterns of amphetamine-type stimulants and new psychoactive substances. United Nations on Drugs and Crime, New York
UNODC (2018) World drug report 2018. United Nations on Drugs and Crime, New York
Van TN, Scannapieco M (2008) Drug abuse in Vietnam: a critical review of the literature and implications for future research. Addiction 103(4):535–543
von Lampe K (2012) Transnational organized crime challenges for future research. Crime Law Soc Chang 58(2):179–194
Vuong T, Ali R, Baldwina S, Millsa S (2012) Drug policy in Vietnam: a decade of change? Int J Policy Anal 23:319–326
Vy, L. (2013). Understanding the operational structure of southeast Asian drug trafficking groups in Australia PhD, Queensland University of Technology
Vy L, Lauchs M (2013) Models of south-east Asian organised crime drug operations in Queensland. Asian J Criminol 8(2):69–87
Wasserman S, Fraust K (1994) Social network analysis: methods and applications. Cambridge university press, Cambridge
Williams P (1998) The nature of drug-trafficking networks. Curr History 97(618):154–159
Williams, P. (2001a). Organizing transnational crime: networks, markets and hierarchies. Combating transnational crime: concepts, activities and responses. P. Williams and D. Vlassis. New York, frank Cass publishers: 57-88
Williams, P. (2001b). Transnational criminal networks. Networks and Netwars: the future of terror, crime, and militancy. J. Arquilla and D. Ronfeldt. Pennsylvania, RAND: 61-97
Williams, P. (2010). Tailoring strategies against criminal networks. The 2nd annual illicit networks workshop. A. Goldsmith. Wollongong, New South Wales, Centre for Transnational Crime Prevention, University of Wollongong
Williams, P. (2013). Lawlessness and disorder: an emerging paradigm for the 21st century. Convergence: illicit networks and National Security in the age of globalization. M. Miklaucic and J. brewer. Washington D.C., National Defense University press: 15-37
Windle J (2012) The suppression of illicit opium production in Viet Nam: an introductory narrative. Crime Law Soc Chang 57(4):425–439
Windle, J. (2016). Vietnam and Laos. Suppressing illicit opium production: successful intervention in Asia and the Middle East. J. Windle. London I.B.Tauris: 98-112
Yin R (1984) Case study research: design and methods. Sage Publications Inc, California
Yin R (2009) Case study research: design and methods. Sage Publications Inc, California
Zhang S, Chin K-l (2015) The Chinese heroin trade: cross-border drug trafficking in Southeast Asia and beyond. New York University Press, New York
Funding
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflicting interests
The author declares no potential conflicts of interest. This article constitutes one part of my doctoral thesis. It has not been published—nor is it under review for publication—elsewhere.
Ethical approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Appendix: Case study’s extractions from Court Judgements
Appendix: Case study’s extractions from Court Judgements
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Luong, H. The organisational structure of transnational narcotics trafficking groups in Southeast Asia: a case study of Vietnam’s border with Laos. Trends Organ Crim 23, 385–411 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12117-020-09384-w
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12117-020-09384-w