2022 Report: Organized crime in Canada
This report provides an overview of the organized crime groups operating in Canada, the serious threats they pose, and the impacts they have on our communities.
For a copy of the full report, please contact us at CISC_Tasking@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
Highlights of the report
Organized crime groups (OCG) represent significant public safety and societal threats. They are important enablers in the increasing number of annual opioid-related overdoses (over 7500 in 2021); firearms-related violence, including homicides; as well as financial crimes and frauds.
Their structure and membership are increasingly fluid, often creating opportunistic criminal relationships with national and international networks and associates.
OCGs are adapting and diversifying to further their criminal activity and increase profits. Many OCGs are involved in two or more markets such as illicit drugs, financial crime, contraband and crimes against people and properties.
They use tactics like:
- infiltrating public housing and trafficking drugs to vulnerable people, including those with substance abuse or mental health issues
- using cryptocurrency and exploiting cyber systems to enhance their criminal operations as well as to launder their proceeds, creating more challenges for law enforcement to detect and disrupt their activities
- using strategic violence to maintain criminal market shares, including homicide, extortion / intimidation, kidnapping, assault, and arson
The report identifies the most important organized crime threats in Canada and describes their activities, impacts to the public and private sectors, use of violence and role in Canada's overdose crisis.
- outlaw motorcycle gangs
- mafia networks
- street gangs
- fentanyl networks
- methamphetamine networks
- money laundering networks
- cybercrime networks
- human trafficking networks
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