Macau's reputation is already fragile, and suggestions that the gangland violence of the 1990s has been replaced by commercial crime do it no favours.

ECONOMIST: They do more than gamble in Macau

Another NGO, the Bar Council, was recently rebuked -- not for the first time -- for expressing qualms over the conduct of the judiciary in a commercial crime case.

CNN: MALAYSIA

Although of course we must remember that his crime was not sending unwanted commercial e-mail, which is permitted if not positively encouraged as a way of using the net for marketing purposes.

BBC: NEWS | Technology | Data safety at top of the agenda

According to the 1968 Omnibus Crime and Safe Streets Act prohibits the commercial sale of disguised devices that record audio.

FORBES: Spy store vs. spy store

Violent crime has for years been a feature of Pakistan's biggest commercial city and port.

ECONOMIST: Pakistan

The argument against says that commercial gaming harms both the economy and people by increasing rates of bankruptcy, addiction, violent crime, theft and substance abuse, in addition to taking business away from surrounding attractions.

BBC: The high-low split of gambling cities

Gupta and Lal are just two of thousands of victims of a new and vicious crime wave that has cast a pall of fear over Bombay, India's commercial and cultural center and a city that has always thrived on boisterous ostentation.

CNN: TRAPPED IN THE BIG SQUEEZE

"They reduced crime rates to nil and since then we have not stopped using them, " says commercial director Tony Mellor.

BBC: How Gurkhas came to be Britain's new security army

Many were purely commercial outfits seeking to benefit from privileged tax and customs status, and were often run by organised-crime groups.

ECONOMIST: Russia