Organized crime has played a significant social role in cultures all over the world. This is the first book to establish a timeline of global organized criminal activity, which spans eight millennia. Entries are arranged chronologically and represent many facets of the criminal underground, including the birth of major players in crime as well as law enforcement officials, the discovery or invention of drugs and weapons, the creation of law enforcement agencies, and the passage of statutes relevant to the control of criminal activity. A broadly useful examination of organized crime, this book encompasses all nations, races, religions and political philosophies.