The U.S. Treasury Department said on Wednesday it was targeting a Lebanon-based drug trafficking and money laundering network suspected of doing as much as $200 million a month in business.

As free economic zones grow in size and number across the globe, they are increasingly popular spots for illicit trade

Al-Qaeda has increasingly turned to extortion and organised crime to fund its activities, with businesses bearing the brunt of intimidation, US and Iraqi commanders in northern Iraq told AFP

Abutbul crew stopped by police on way to whack member of rival gang

The Middle East leads the world in amphetamine seizures but governments in the region have been slow to admit there is a drug abuse problem, hindering efforts to fight it

Drug traffickers in Syria and Jordan are cashing in on growing demand for amphetamines in Bahrain and other Gulf countries, according to a new United Nations (UN) report.

Turkish authorities confiscated 31 percent more illegal substances in 2009 than the previous year, in a sign of increasing drug trafficking activities using Turkey as a thoroughfare, new data from the National Police Department’s Anti-Organized Crime and Smuggling Department show

The four separate attempts were made by Iranian suspect Farzeen Ali Karoyan Mutlaq, who is the fraud leader. An attempt to steal $14.4 billion (Dh52.96 billion) from the UAE Central Bank by fraud was foiled by Abu Dhabi Police recently

Saudi security forces and anti-drug police seized 6.53 tons of hashish, 6.79 million amphetamine tablets and 2.44 kilograms of heroin in several operations over the past two months