Police identified 950 organized crime groups operating in Canada in 2007, up from 800 the year before, according to a report released Friday.
The report, prepared by Canada's Criminal Intelligence Service, provides a picture of organized crime in the country based on information provided by police forces and law enforcement agencies across the country.
But RCMP Commissioner William Elliott, who chaired the report, said the findings do not necessarily mean there are more crime groups operating in Canada — it may just mean that police are getting better at working together to identify the groups.
"We're encouraged because we know that this year we're in a position to know more about the number of groups, their activities, and that is very much helping our enforcement efforts," Elliott told reporters at a press conference in Calgary.
The report notes that 80 per cent of organized crime groups are involved in the illegal drug trade, with the most popular drug being marijuana and the biggest grow operations found in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.
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The report, prepared by Canada's Criminal Intelligence Service, provides a picture of organized crime in the country based on information provided by police forces and law enforcement agencies across the country.
But RCMP Commissioner William Elliott, who chaired the report, said the findings do not necessarily mean there are more crime groups operating in Canada — it may just mean that police are getting better at working together to identify the groups.
"We're encouraged because we know that this year we're in a position to know more about the number of groups, their activities, and that is very much helping our enforcement efforts," Elliott told reporters at a press conference in Calgary.
The report notes that 80 per cent of organized crime groups are involved in the illegal drug trade, with the most popular drug being marijuana and the biggest grow operations found in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.
Full story
Are you worried about crime in Canada? What are your suggestions on how to deal with the problem?
More...