Organized Crime in USA

Organized crime threatens multiple facets of the United States, including the economy and national security. Infact, the Organized Crime Council was recently reconvened for the first time in 15 years to address this continued threat. Organized crime has taken on an increasingly transnational nature, and with more open borders and the expansion of the Internet, criminals endanger the United States not only from within the borders, but beyond. Threats come from a variety of criminal organizations, including Russian, Asian, Italian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, and African syndicates. Policymakers may question whether the tools they have provided the federal government to combat organized crime are still effective for countering today’s evolving risks. 

Organized crime could further weaken the economy with illegal activities (such as cigarette trafficking and tax evasion scams) that result in a loss of tax revenue for state and federal governments. Fraudulent activities in domains such as strategic commodities, credit, insurance, stocks, securities and investments could further weaken the already-troubled financial market.

On the national security front, experts and policymakers have expressed concern over a possible nexus between organized crime and terrorism. Despite the difference in motivation for organized crime (profit) and terrorism (ideology), the linking element for the two is money. Terrorists may potentially obtain funding for their operations from partnering directly with organized crime groups or modeling their profitable criminal acts. Even if organized crime groups and terrorist organizations do not form long-term alliances, the possibility of short-term business alliances may be of concern to policymakers.  SOURCE:  Congressional Research Service

According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the real number could be absolutely staggering. It estimates that transnational organized crime makes profits as high as $870 billion every year, equivalent to 1.5 percent of global GDP. Feb 29, 2016

Neither the USA nor the REST OF THE WORLD really want to stop organized crime because of all the money it generates and because much of this money is invested back into their respective communities which improves its economy and the well being of its citizens.