Defending the Republic

Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are politically motivated. Sometimes criminal organizations force people to do business with them, as when a gang extorts money from shopkeepers for "protection".Gangs may become "disciplined" enough to be considered "organized". An organized gang or criminal set can also be referred to as a mob.

Mafia is a term used to describe a number of criminal organizations around the world. The first organization to bear the label was the Sicilian Mafia based in Sicily, known to its members as Cosa Nostra. In the United States, "the Mafia" generally refers to the Italian American Mafia. Other high level organized crime groups such as the American prison gang the Mexican Mafia use the term "Mafia" to describe their group. Latin American drug cartels are often considered Hispanic or Latino Mafias. Other international organizations described as mafias include the Russian Mafia, the Albanian Mafia, the Irish Mob, the Chinese Triads, the Japanese Yakuza, the Neapolitan Camorra, Calabrian 'Ndrangheta, and the Apulian Sacra Corona Unita. There are also a number of localized mafia organizations around the world bearing no link to any specific ethnic background.[citation needed]

In the United States the Organized Crime Control Act (1970) defines organized crime as "The unlawful activities of [...] a highly organized, disciplined association [...]".Criminal activity as a structured group is referred to as racketeering and such crime is commonly referred to as the work of the Mob. In the UK, police estimate organized crime involves up to 38,000 people operating in 6,000 various groups.In addition, due to the escalating violence of Mexico's drug war, the Mexican drug cartels are considered the 'greatest organized crime threat to the United States,' according to a report issued by the United States Department of Justice.