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Organized Crime In Canada

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Everyday in the media we are exposed to violence, often times for entertainment. Television series such as Sons of Anarchy, focus on a violent biker gang committing indictable offences varying from theft, drug trafficking and even first degree murder but what many don’t consider is the idea that organized crime as seen in this series occur today in places not so far from home. What is organized crime? By definition in the Criminal Code of Canada, organized crime is “a group, however organized, that: (a) is composed of three or more persons in or outside 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 …show more content…
Majority of the deaths involved individuals from the gangs with the exception of the murder of the innocent Daniel Desrochers an 11 year old boy killed by a car bomb while playing outside in 1995. After this tragic death the public became furious demanding for the government to do something. This lead to the legislation of Bill C-95 in 1997 which included harsher penalties for those affiliated in criminal organizations that commit an illegal offence. By 2001, the war was put to an end after numerous public outcries, growing death tolls and more extreme consequences with the law resulting in the incarceration of over 100 bikers from both gangs. ( Hells Angels Violent Biker War with the Rock Machine, …show more content…
The racketeering aspect of the law involves financial crimes, counterfeit, and various forms of fraud. The RICO act includes criminal and civil punishments such as 20 years in prison or a fine of $250,000. If the amount of money profited from the criminal act exceeds $250,000 the individual can be fined double the amount to which they received from the offence. On top of these consequences if convicted, the individual can have all finances taken away if it is involved with the organization or criminal act(s) committed. Also, the RICO law allows for the government to stop all income before establishing guilt or even being presented in court. Of course, this law could be very effective deterring and establishing fear of the consequences involved with being a member of various criminal organizations. (RICO Law,

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