criminal network
Organized illegal operation
A criminal network is an organized system of individuals or groups engaged in illegal activity, connected through relationships of trust, mutual benefit, or hierarchy.
Unlike formal organizations, networks may be loose and decentralized: The investigation uncovered a criminal network spanning three continents.
Drug cartels, human trafficking rings, and cybercrime syndicates operate as criminal networks.
- mafiaCriminal organization using intimidation
- gangOrganized criminal group
- cartelPrice-fixing coalition
- drug lordCriminal trafficking organization leader
- smugglingIllegal covert transport
syndicate · dead drops · trafficking · cell · organized crime · encrypted messaging · code words · forged documents · hierarchy · money mule · safe houses · money laundering · front company · shell corporation · omertà · hit list · cybercrime · ring
- criminal groupsgang, mafia, cartel, mob, syndicate
- organized crimemafia, mob, the mob, syndicate, crime syndicate
- syndicatessyndicate, crime syndicate, betting syndicate, cartel, consortium
- criminal complicityaccomplice, accessory, aiding and abetting, co-conspirator, complicity
- gambling crimesillegal gambling, illegal casino, match fixing, race fixing, point shaving
criminal networklaw enforcement agency
Body that upholds statutes
police force · regulatory body · intelligence network · security apparatus · justice system