CRIMINAL GANGS BOOMING: SURVEY

MONTREAL -(CP)- Organized crime gangs are booming in Canada, using technology
and stolen luxury cars to further their aims, says a federal report to be
presented today.

That's no surprise to Antonio Nicaso, a noted expert on the Mob who says a soft
judicial system and the criminals' ability to organize like a big corporation
has helped them thrive.

"We have good legislation in terms of investigating organized crime but the
judicial system is a joke," Nicaso said yesterday in an interview from Toronto.

The annual report of the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada will be released
today in Halifax but was obtained by Le Journal de Montreal. The report says
eastern European crime gangs are active in southern Ontario and Quebec and
using high-tech expertise with things like computers to pursue their goals.

They're especially active in the smuggling of such things as stolen luxury cars
through Canada's ports, Le Journal reported.

It also said outlaw biker gangs have been weakened by police crackdowns, but
the Sicilian Mafia is strengthening its position at the top of the country's
criminal hierarchy.

The RCMP, which is co-ordinating the release of the report, would not comment
on it yesterday or discuss the federal force's strategy in general, pending the
report's release, said Sgt. Paul Marsh.

However, the RCMP's Internet site describes "organized crime as a serious
long-term threat" and raises the possibility of its links to terrorists.

The RCMP Web site said the force is fighting back through effective
investigations, partnerships with other police services and intelligence
gathering.

Nicaso, a consultant who has written 10 books on organized crime, said police
are on the right track and Canada has strengthened laws on money laundering,
proceeds of crime and criminal gangs. But he said sentencing has to be tougher.
"In the United States, there is a mandatory prison term - 30 years means 30
years," he said.

"If we don't get tougher with criminals, Canada will continue to be a welcome
wagon for organized crime."

The report mirrors concerns in other annual reports by the organization, which
tracks criminal trends through data from police intelligence squads and other
sources, such as media reports. Nicaso said organized crime has been changing
its attitudes for some time, shifting its attention to global markets rather
than mere control of particular cities.

Canadian organized crime is "less visible, more business-oriented" and has
struck partnerships with other criminal groups, said Nicaso.

"We have some cases across Canada of different organized crime groups such as
the Italian Mafia, the Hells Angels, the Colombian (drug) cartels, the West End
gang in Montreal or Russian Mafia in other cities sitting down at the same
table and working together as shareholders," he said.

"They try to make bridges instead of fighting."