The fight against organized crime in Canada requires policing that organizes to tackle a myriad of problems, practically every sort and degree of crime in the country.
That is the reason for the existence of the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC), with a mandate to be strategically-focused, “an organization which ensures the timely production and exchange of criminal information and intelligence among CISC member agencies.”
The CISC operates, as a national ‘centre of excellence’, “in support of the national effort to detect, reduce, disrupt and prevent organized and serious crime affecting Canada.”
CISC runs under a Constitution (published online along with the Annual Report, and including an array of details)(although the website is not necessarily current in news except with ‘reports’) overseen by the National Executive Committee.
Structurally, “a Central Bureau in Ottawa (liaises) with, and collects intelligence from, ten Provincial Bureaus that serves all of Canada’s provinces and territories,” says the 2007 Annual Report, released online this Jan 08.
“The Provincial Bureaus operate independently,” to liase with, “380 law enforcement agencies across the country. These agencies supply criminal intelligence to their respective Provincial Bureaus for further analysis and dissemination.”
CISC National Executive Committee, which is comprised of 23 leaders including chiefs of big city police forces and provincial forces and elsewhere in Canada’s law enforcement community, is chaired by the Commissioner of the RCMP.
In fact, CISC was formed in 1970, “to unite the Canadian criminal intelligence community at municipal, provincial and federal levels to more effectively and efficiently combat organized and serious crime affecting Canada.”
The Criminal Code (467.1) definition of organized crime, is as follows: “Criminal organization” means a group, however organized that: (a) is composed of three or more persons in or outside of Canada; and; (b) has as one of its main purposes or main activities the facilitation or commission of one or more serious offences that, if committed, would likely result in the direct or indirect receipt of a material benefit, including a financial benefit, by the group or by any of the persons who constitute the group.
Perhaps the big news according to the report is that, “Canada contains approximately 950 organized crime groups in 2007, compared to an estimated 800 groups in 2006.”
The report states, “Wherever there is profit to be made, organized crime can be found,” furthermore, “Many organized crime groups operate on a network basis, reaching out to individuals with specific skills and expertise necessary to facilitate criminal ventures,” thus the term ‘organized.’
Those criminals acting out elaborate schemes in organized crime are contained within a small number of organized crime groups, although organized crime is “engaged in diverse and complex activities largely on an urban basis.”
“Some of these (organizations)have the capability to target, coerce or employ individuals in legitimate business, professionals, such as lawyers and accountants, and other community members.” (Lawyers huh)
Interestingly, the report notes, dryly, that, “A number of these groups exist for limited periods of time, cooperate for specific criminal activities and then disband.”
That is not the norm, however, for some groups, “such as the majority of street gangs;” these, “are highly visible to the public in part because of their tendency to use violence and intimidation in communities which has a direct impact on public safety.”
That is not the norm, however, for some groups, “such as the majority of street gangs;” these, “are highly visible to the public in part because of their tendency to use violence and intimidation in communities which has a direct impact on public safety.”
The business of human trafficking falls within the realm of organized crime, belonging to groups that, “exploit Canada’s borders to illegally move people and various types of contraband.”
The report stated, in some instances the activity relies on breaking into, “the legitimate workforce.” Also interesting to read, “Certain border area Aboriginal territories have been targeted by organized crime.”
Organized crime is at the top of their game with technology, and their activities lie behind a lot of what is reported as identity theft and electronic theft through internet and bank card and credit card theft of money.
“Technology (is) being exploited by organized crime groups, particularly communication devices such as mobile wireless and personal digital assistants (e.g. Blackberries) that increase the speed of communication between individuals and groups.”
The report says, also, “Communication devices also serve to insulate groups from law enforcement detection such as in the use of multiple, disposable cell phones. Moreover, these devices, as well as payment cards are vulnerable to identity theft and theft of financial information to commit fraud.”
And the CISC reported, “Newer technologies such as voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and malicious software used to target individuals via the Internet are used by crime groups to facilitate large-scale frauds and thefts.”
In everything they do, the CISC organization is faced with weighing consequences, from which they note, “may be direct and tangible, such as fraud or thefts, with effects that can be quantified in terms of monetary loss.”
Or, the “Harms also encompass a range of intangible effects more difficult to quantify. For example, the loss of quality of life through victimization is difficult to measure or to compare objectively against a merchant’s loss of business due to counterfeit goods.”
Indeed, the CISC is operationally grounded to be organized against the dark side of human nature, the violence, illicit drugs, financial crimes, contraband and counterfeit goods, human smuggling and trafficking, which is “known to exist in the form of sexual exploitation and domestic servitude.”
The report noted, “several crime groups are also involved in domestic trafficking in persons: recruiting young women, transporting them throughout Canada and in some instances to the U.S., and exploiting them in the sex trade.”
The report discusses crimes related to intellectual property theft, vehicle theft (which in Canada, CISC notes, is concentrated in Toronto and Montreal).
“Organized crime is a profit-driven activity and forms of it come in great diversity.”
Diverse indeed, including things like Mass Marketing Fraud, and Mortgage Fraud, Securities Fraud, Payment Card Fraud, Money Laundering.
Diverse indeed, including things like Mass Marketing Fraud, and Mortgage Fraud, Securities Fraud, Payment Card Fraud, Money Laundering.
(The International Monetary Fund estimates that between $22 and $55 billion is laundered annually in Canada, the CISC reported), all of which are growing in complexity with the expansion of technology.
The CISC annual report contains a special section on illegal firearms, stating, “The illicit firearms market in Canada is driven by both individual criminals and members of organized crime. Criminals require firearms to assist in their criminal endeavours.”
Because of the readiness of supply and connections, the report discussed the USA supply chain of firearms into Canada, as follows, “There continue to be five primary sources or methods used by criminals or their organizations to acquire firearms from U.S.
1. Licensed U.S. Dealers:
2. Straw Purchasers: A person with illegal intent may use an accomplice, referred to as a straw purchaser, to legally acquire firearms from an U.S. retailer
3. False Identification
4. Secondary U.S. Markets: A person purchases firearms at a secondary market (e.g. a gun show, flea market, or
5. Theft: A person steals firearms from a lawful owner, a U.S. retailer, a conveyor (common or contract carrier) or from the mail system, with the intention of reselling
In Canada-proper, “sourced firearms are mainly derived from residential and commercial thefts; however, other sources include: firearms that have not been re-registered, unregistered and deactivated firearms, as well as diversions from the legitimate industry.”
The report noted, the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) has maintained records pertaining to stolen or missing firearms since 1974. “Currently, there are approximately 85,000 firearms recorded in the system, of which approximately 44,000 are classified as restricted firearms (e.g. handguns).”
For more details and a read of the CISC Annual Report 2024, or training opportunities for those involved with police work or other information visit this link.
