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Introduction

Organised crime is a serious criminal activity which is planned, well-coordinated, and conducted by the people working collected on a persistent basis. Their motivation is mostly financial gain, but not always. In the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organised Crime, an organised crime group is defined as “a structured group of three or more persons, existing for a period of time and acting in concert with the aim of committing one or more serious crimes or offences to directly or indirectly obtain financial or other material benefits”. 

  • The Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, MCOCA (1999), defines organised crime as any continuing unlawful activity by an individual, singly or jointly, either as a member of an organised crime syndicate or on behalf of such a syndicate, using violence or threat of violence, intimidation or coercion, or other unlawful means, with the goal of gaining pecuniary benefits, gaining undue economic or other advantages for himself or any person, or promoting insanity. 

Organised Crime Activities: 

  • Human trafficking for sexual exploitation or forced labour 
  • Trafficking in drugs, cultural property 
  • Kidnapping for ransom 
  • Supply of illicit goods and weapons 
  • Armed robbery 
  • Bank robbery 
  • Counterfeiting and money laundering 
  • Smuggling of firearms and wildlife 

Difference between Terrorism and Organised Crime:  

  • Generally speaking, terrorist groups intentionally challenge state authority and seek political change through violence (or the threat of violence) for many, including ideological reasons. 
  • Terrorist organisations regard resource mobilisation as a tool for achieving their objectives rather than the objective itself. 
  • Unlike terrorist organisations, which seek political or ideological change, organised criminal organisations do not strive to transform the political landscape. The ultimate purpose of their operations is to gain financial or material gain. As a result, every state disruption is intended to establish, expand, or preserve favourable conditions for their operations.