44-45 (footnote omitted): Losses resulting from counterfeit credit card activity have risen dramatically over the past few years. 4.16 As noted in paragraph 2.8 above, as long as people believe in the existence of powerful triad groups, they will be reluctant to resist the demands of those claiming to be triad members, or to inform police of their activities. There is no real evidence that these associations follow Triad initiation ceremonies or other rituals, or adopt a strict internal hierarchy. [31]United States Senate, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, Asian Organized Crime: The New International Criminal, Hearing, 4 August 1992 (US Gov. This group is responsible for large-scale heroin and opium trafficking, illegal gambling, arms and human trafficking, prostitution, loan sharking, money laundering, and murder. //