ck to before the time of Christ and the Triad history is blurred by legend mythology and folklore. Their rituals still in use are centuries old, their traditions have their roots in ancient warrior codes and of honour and patriotism. The Triad society system is not merely a criminal fraternity, it is a deep part of the soul of Chinese history and culture (Basham, 1999).
             The question is how have these two very different organisations managed to not only survive until today, also how they have managed to prosper, not only in their own countries of origin, but all over the world. Both of these institutions occupy a central position on the international crime scene, and they are indeed at the very core of organised crime (Jamieson, 2001).
             In order to answer these questions three main issues will be looked at. Firstly it will be necessary to define the concept of organised crime itself. Secondly both the Triads and the Mafia will be examined separately from their inception to current day. Thirdly how these organisations compare will be examined.
             Organised crime has become a great phenomenon. All over the world, the forces of organised crime are at work and no society is spared. From it's traditional spheres of activity such as prostitution, the arms trade and trafficking in drugs, organised crime has now added to its ranks, money-laundering, the trade in nuclear technology, and even the transporting of illegal immigrants (Block, 1991).
             Organised Crime can be defined as a group of people more then two individuals, which are involved in criminal activity, that is confidential in nature and that the criminal activity is ongoing or continuous crime (Follian, 1995).The characteristics of organised crime include these:
             · The group is involved in criminal activity that is clandestine in nature. Within the group and outside the group it is a secret of the organisations activities (Follian, 1995).
             · The or...