ORGANIZED CRIME AFFECTS ALL OF US EVERYDAY

Have you ever thought that organized crime is just something that you
read about in the local paper or hear about on the evening newscast
and wonder does this really affect me in my everyday life?

Most Canadians do not think that organized crime groups affect them,
but in fact, they do.

I am going to share with you some of the impacts that organized crime
has on your everyday life.

Organized crime groups have one philosophy most money=least risk.
They are looking for ways to attain the most profit with the least
amount of risk (usually from the legal system).

One of the most common commodities that organized crime groups are
involved in is drugs, but they do not exclusively target illicit drugs.

Organized crime groups also are marketing counterfeit goods including
prescription medications. Counterfeit prescription drugs are weaker
and less effective, threatening the overall health and safety of Canadians.

Financially, organized crime activities are one reason why both our
savings and our spending money have dwindled in recent years.

How does it affect your take home pay?

- - Health care costs -- by us paying for the increased costs related to
drug addicted people.

- - Taxes (property & income) -- paying for increased policing costs,
insurance premiums, costs of money laundering effects on our local
economy.

- - Electricity costs -- increases to your hydro bill for theft of hydro
or hydro diversions for drug operations.

- - Banking Fees -- as a profit-seeking business, banks need to recover
bank fraud costs by billing regular customers.

- - Credit Card - fees for your credit cards increase due to identity
theft and fraud.

It is estimated that economic crime committed by organized crime
groups cost Canadians $5 billion every year. For a family of four
that's $600 per year that is taken from your pocket into the hands of
organized crime.

Not only are the affects monetary but organized crime groups also
create fear in our everyday lives. Through violence, intimidation, and
corruption, it affects our confidence in our most fundamental sources
of solace: our home, our neighbourhood, our community and how safe we
feel in each of these.

Be vigilant and be aware that organized crime impacts you.