The UN's 1999 Human Development Report estimates organised crime syndicates gross around $31,000 billion a year. The UK's economic output is just over $3800bn. The report says the syndicates' economic power rivals that of multinational corporations.

The biggest growth area is drugs, which is now a bigger global industry than motor manufacturing. Over the past 10 years, the production of opium has more than tripled and the production of coca leaves has doubled. The illegal drug trade - supplying 200 million customers - is worth around $3250bn, or 8 per cent of world trade.

Another growth industry is trafficking in women and girls for the sex industry. It is now a business worth $35bn a year.

The report, due out next week, studies the advantages and disadvantages of globalisation. It says crime syndicates have been particular beneficiaries of advances in telecommunications and the opening up of borders.

'Globalisation creates new and exciting opportunities, and among the most enterprising and imaginative opportunists are the world's criminals,' it says. 'As the multinational corporations have led the drive to globalise the world's economy, so the ''crime multinationals'' have been quick to exploit it.'

It cites examples of a computer hacker in Russia who came close to stealing millions of dollars from Citibank in New York, and Nigerian con men who take advantage of the semblance of legitimacy that a fax machine gives to a forged document.

Most of the main criminal groups have extended beyond their home territories. The Chinese triads are in the restaurant trade in London, the Sicilian mafia is selling heroin in New York, and the Japanese yakuza are financing pornography in the Netherlands.

The Medellin and Cali cartels in Colombia, the Juarez, Tijuana and Gulf cartels of Mexico and the Cosa Nostra in the US are all exporting their crimes. The report claims 'they are now developing strategic alliances linked in a global network, reaping the benefits of globalisation'.

The criminals have been particularly helped by the ease with which money can now be transferred between continents. 'The precipitous removal of currency controls, before a proper regulatory environment has been established, is the perfect condition for laundering money,' says the report.

It also suggests the lowering of trade barriers has aided criminals: 'It helps the luxury car hijacked on a Johannesburg street to reappear for sale in Moscow.'