ABSTRACT
Processes of globalization have multiplied cross-border links and intensified interconnectedness in the economic, political and cultural spheres. Inevitably, criminal enterprises have also become global. At the same time, they have shown that they can exploit the weaknesses of the existing regulatory patchwork. This chapter seeks to clarify the meaning of the terms 'international crime' and 'cross-border crime', often referred to as 'transnational crime'. It attempts to construct a typology of legal-illegal links and associations, in order to better organize the existing knowledge and data on this subject. The typology of the interface between legal and illegal actors can assist in understanding various sources of demand for prohibited goods and services, but requires some fine-tuning. The legal-illegal interface can have either antithetical or symbiotic relationships. A widespread belief is that when legal and illegal actors come into contact, it is because criminals seek to infiltrate, extort, or bankrupt legal enterprises.
