Two major drug smuggling cases in 1996 illustrate the transnational reach of ROC. The first involved Russians as well as individuals from the Netherlands, Ukraine, Belarus, and African countries in an attempt to smuggle four tons of drugs via Russia. The second case involved ROC operations in five West European countries and Russia; the illicit activities led to a joint operation among the involved governments against a transnational drug trafficking group--and to the confiscation of 2.5 tons of drugs.

In testimony before the U.S. Senate, FBI director Louis Freeh stated that some 27 ROC groups had been identified as operating in the United States.
The activities of these groups are believed to center primarily around such major U.S. cities as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and New York.

One MVD official stated that ROC activities in the United States include money laundering, illegal money transactions, and narcotics trafficking.
Other countries with a known and active ROC presence include Germany, with 47 groups; and Italy, with 60 groups. The MVD estimates that over 100 ROC groups are active in at least 50 countries.

36 U.S. federal law enforcement entities involved ;n the fight against ROC include, but are not limited to, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Immigration and Naturalization Service; Financial crimes Enforcement Network, Internal Revenue Service; DEA; U S Customs Service; US Secret Service; and FBI. Several of these groups, as well as elements of the foreign affairs and intelligence communities of the U.S. government, also are involved in the provision of training and technical assistance. More information on the training aspect can be obtained through the of Office of Ambassador Richard L Morningstar, Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to the Newly Independent States.

37. "White Paper on Russian/Eurasian Organized Crime."
The Russian Federation as a Criminal-Syndicalist State
The notion of a criminal-syndicalist state is central and essential to understanding the findings and conclusions of the Russian Organized Crime Task Force. The task force concludes that, in the absence of significant reforms, the Russian Federation itself is likely to become a full-blown criminal-syndicalist state. In many respects, such a criminal syndicalist state already exists in Russia today. In the findings of the task force, such a state is composed of, and characterized by, interactions among the following: