Witnesses to crimes instantly face a moral dilemma: Will my reporting of this crime put me and/or my loved ones/coworkers in jeopardy. Anyone who fails to seriously consider this truth in dealing with these witnesses makes an already-terrible experience exponentially more difficult.
In many instances, as in medicine counterfeiting, drug trafficking, prostitution and other forms of human trafficking, the profits are so high even government and law enforcement officials are occasionally party to the crimes, making reporting by witnesses even riskier, especially in areas where these officials may be poorly compensated or even under physical threat themselves.
Add to that the increasing lack of anonymity, even in anonymous reporting situations, and you realize just some of the challenges witnesses face when they're working up the courage to end what they see happening. Here's some help:
INTERPOL, the International Police Organization, recommends citizens report crimes to their local law enforcement officials. However, if you're concerned about your safety in reporting to a local law enforcement official, INTERPOL's website also identifies NCB's (National Central Bureaus) here.
Since China doesn't have a National Central Bureau, Chinese readers with information that might help break up the ring described in Somewhere in Africa... should contact either a local law enforcement official whom they trust, INTERPOL, or IMPACT's task force here.
Whether the crime is fake malaria pills or meth labs or unsanitary conditions in food-processing or bootlegging and intellectual property piracy or abuse or the host of other crimes that require armies of participants and conspirators, there's always someone who could have stopped it by picking up a phone. And in nearly every case, there's also almost always someone asking/begging/threatening them not to make that call. The moment someone--anyone--asks you to cover a crime, including so-called "victimless" crimes, they've lost their right to expect your loyalty, bond or protection. There's no blood or brotherhood or bonds of any kind that makes for a righteous plea for silence.
In far too many cases, an innocent someone is paying a terrible price. Never let silence be your legacy.
