Pubdate: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 Source: Hamilton Spectator (CN ON) Copyright: 2006 The Hamilton Spectator Contact: http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/181 Author: Wade Hemsworth THE CHANGING FACE OF CRIME IN CANADA The Crimes They Are A-Changing. Organized crime in Canada has changed considerably over the last several years, and a more traditional criminal who has been, let's say, "away" for some time is likely to find that the old workplace has changed considerably. Here's a look at some of the ways that organized crime in Canada has changed, based on recent annual reports of the Criminal Intelligence Service of Canada, which collects information about organized crime from 380 law enforcement agencies across the country. Competition: This year, the CISC identified 800 organized crime groups across the country. As the cultural portrait of Canada has changed, so too have its crime groups, and now criminals from more communities than ever are fighting for a piece of the pie, with the newest players being Eastern European crime groups, which are concentrated in Ontario, loosely organized, opportunistic and specialize in drugs and fraud. The most sophisticated crime groups in Canada continue to be Asian and Italian groups and some Hells Angels chapters. Their operations tend to be larger, more complex and more resistant to disruption by police. At least one expert believes Johnny Papalia's 1997 murder helped open the door for the establishment of the first Hells Angels chapters in Ontario three years later. The gang now has more than 200 members and 16 chapters in Ontario, including a new chapter in Hamilton this year. Hamilton's Walter Stadnik, now serving time in a Quebec prison, is a senior member of the gang. But the organization suffered a body blow last week after police forces across Ontario swooped down and arrested 28 Angels and associates. One was arrested in Hamilton, though the city chapter was not affected. Italian-based crime groups continue to be centred mainly in Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, Windsor and Niagara. In 2004, the last time it specifically addressed Italian-based crime, the CISC described Ontario-based traditional organized crime groups as "very sophisticated and capable of a wide range of criminal activities, including drug trafficking, illegal gambling, money laundering and large-scale fraud." Asian organized crime is most active in British Columbia's lower mainland, Calgary, Edmonton and in the Toronto area. Police have linked Asian crime groups to payment card fraud, illegal gambling, loan sharking, prostitution, human smuggling and drugs. Street gangs, involving primarily young men under 30, are violent, visible, and especially dangerous to the public. But police find them less criminally sophisticated than outlaw motorcycle gangs and ethnic-based crime groups. There are now an estimated 300 street gangs in Canada, with 11,000 members. Their scope, generally speaking, is local, and they tend to lack the resources and connections of more established groups, concentrating primarily on drugs, theft and the sex trade. Gun violence is prevalent among street gangs, as demonstrated by several recent incidents on the streets of Hamilton. The gangs are taking an increasingly prominent place in this city. Hamilton police swept up 10 members in a series of raids late in September. But investigators concede that doesn't make much of a dent. They estimate there are at least 300 gangsters in the city. The guns-and-gangs squad was recently increased to deal with the threat. But it's not just large-scale organized crime. There's plenty of other action going on across the city. Gunfire erupted twice on James Street North last month, with two men badly wounded in one attack. Further east, there have been a series of shootings, one of which killed a man outside an Ottawa Street North bar a year ago. Globalization: More than ever, a bust in one part of the world creates opportunities and challenges elsewhere. "Criminal markets are dynamic and evolve over time as they react to market forces, such as supply and demand," the CISC says. "The number of organized crime groups, their changing inter-relationships, and specific market dynamics contribute to the complexity of the Canadian criminal marketplace." Drugs: Demand is as insatiable as ever, though the drugs in demand have changed a little. Ecstasy, crack cocaine and methamphetamine appeal to "niche" markets, while marijuana and cocaine continue to dominate the market. An estimated 80 per cent of all organized crime groups are involved in the import, production, distribution or sale of illegal drugs. Technology: Organized criminals are keeping up to date and even ahead of technological developments, exploiting opportunities for identity theft and credit-card fraud, and intercepting electronic communications from computers and personal digital assistants. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine