NCJ Number
229565
Journal
THE POLICE CHIEF Volume: 76 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2009 Pages: 64,66-68,70
Date Published
December 2009
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article reports on organized crime's (OC's) involvement in legitimate as well as illegitimate enterprises in Canada that destabilize and corrupt the country's economy, and the law enforcement response is described and assessed.
Abstract
In one generation, OC in Canada has expanded in scope and significance as well as its sophistication and severity. Criminal organizations have infiltrated Canada's legitimate economic sectors, including construction, the financial sector, gaming, manufacturing, the marketing of natural resources, real estate, retail businesses, transportation, and entertainment. Foreign individuals with links to national and transnational OC groups are known to have penetrated key industrial sectors of the Canadian economy. Canadians are adversely impacted by OC activities through increased business costs passed on to consumers, unfair competition, and deterioration in the quality and integrity of services and products provided. In the latter case, OC is now involved in the production of counterfeit auto parts, electrical appliances, and medications. Illicit sales of contraband tobacco contribute to an underground economy worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Based on its experience of integrating resources from various agencies to OC investigative teams, Canadian law enforcement is now coordinating its efforts through the Canadian Integrated Response to Organized Crime (CIROC). CIROC represents on ongoing effort to promote effective, efficient investigations and reduce duplication of efforts through coordinated investigations. The integrated approach has achieved numerous successful operations against OC activities through Integrated Border Enforcement Teams, which include members from both Canadian and U.S. law enforcement agencies. This article briefly describes some of the successful integrated operations against OC. Despite these successes, however, gaps remain in intelligence and resources in countering OC economic and financial crime. Greater cooperation is needed among enforcement agencies, all governmental levels, financial institutions, securities regulators, the justice system, and other public and private stakeholders.