Definition

1. Noun:
   • A large-scale, structured criminal enterprise: "Organized crime" refers to highly coordinated, often transnational criminal networks that engage in illegal activities for profit and power. These organizations typically have a defined hierarchy, use violence or intimidation, and may seek to corrupt legitimate institutions.

Usage

• As a subject: "Organized crime" is a singular, uncountable noun phrase when referring to the general phenomenon.
• As an object: It is used to describe the specific criminal activities and structures of these syndicates.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The government launched a new task force to combat organized crime.
  • Money laundering is a common activity for organized crime.
  • The film depicts the brutal inner workings of organized crime.

Advanced Usage

• "The tentacles of organized crime": A metaphor describing the far-reaching and invasive influence of criminal syndicates into legal businesses and society.
  • The investigation revealed the tentacles of organized crime had infiltrated the construction industry.

Variants and Related Words

• Crime syndicate (n): A specific group or alliance engaged in organized criminal activity.
  • The prosecutor indicted members of an international crime syndicate.
• Racketeering (n): A specific type of criminal activity, often involving extortion, that is commonly associated with organized crime.
• Mafia (n): A specific, well-known type of organized crime group, originally from Italy, but now used generically for similar groups.

Synonyms

• Criminal enterprise: A formal term for a business entity run for illegal purposes.
• The underworld: A collective term for the realm of organized crime and professional criminals.

Related Phrases

• To infiltrate organized crime: To secretly join or place an agent within a criminal organization, typically for law enforcement purposes.
  • The officer went undercover to infiltrate organized crime.
• A kingpin of organized crime: The leader or a very important person in a criminal organization.
  • The arrest of the kingpin disrupted the entire operation.

Noun

1. underworld organizations