ORGANIZED CRIME EVERYWHERE, REPORT SAYS

It has all the violence, drugs and guns of a script for The Sopranos
but a new report on organized crime in Ontario says the problem
exists in a variety of forms and in all communities, including Peterborough.

The reality is that organized crime is in the community, city police
Chief Terry McLaren said yesterday.

"I think we have some structured gangs here, and a gang can consist
of three or more people, but we have some that have gang mentality,"
McLaren said.

A growing trend police have seen is the rise in outside organized
crime coming into the city from Toronto, Ottawa and Quebec, he said.

"We are encountering individuals who are known members of gangs
outside our community, coming in here and committing criminal
offences," McLaren said.

"We know that from the intelligence gathered."

McLaren's comments come following Monday's release of Out of the
Shadows, a report on organized crime prepared by the Ontario
Association of Chiefs of Police.

"We thought it was important that we get the word out into the
community that organized crime exists so that community members
would be more aware of it and that they would be able to help us
contribute to the solution," McLaren, former president of
the association, said.

The report, available at www.oacp.on.ca, outlines various organized
criminal activities from gun running and prostitution to drug
dealing, money laundering, ATM fraud and so-called "e-crimes."

It is designed to educate the public about the broader impact of
buying drugs, cheap auto parts or other contraband, all of which
amounts to supporting organized crime.

An example, Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair said, is someone who
buys stolen designer clothing at a deep discount or picks up a joint
from a street dealer.

"Much of that money is then reinvested in other criminal activities
- -- the importation of more serious drugs, the importation of
firearms into our community," Blair, the new president of the
chief's association, said.

"Those firearms are then sold to violent street criminals and then
somebody gets killed on our streets."

McLaren agreed, saying people need to realize where drug money goes.

"It goes all the way up the food chain to the top," McLaren said.

By releasing the report, the chief said he hopes the knowledge it
provides to individuals, businesses and other community stakeholders
will be a weapon against organized crime.

"We might be able to make some larger dents and in roads into the
solving of the crime and maybe disbanding some of these organized
groups," McLaren said.

- -- With files from CP