A federal department briefing note says that organized crime is suspected to be operating in the public sector, although the specific federal offices that are allegedly involved went unnamed.
“It is also suspected that organized crime groups are also involved in areas of the public sector,” said the memo from the Department of Public Safety, titled “Organized Crime” and obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter through Access to Information.
The note estimated about 26 criminal gangs to be active “within Canadian public sector agencies or departments.”
“According to the Criminal Intelligence Service of Canada [CISC] the principal motivating factors for corruption in the sector are familial connections, romantic relationships and monetary benefits,” it said.
The report listed some of the prevalent OCGs as “outlaw motorcycle gangs,” mafia groups, street gangs, and fentanyl and methamphetamine networks.
Tactics used by the criminal networks included infiltration of public housing and “trafficking drugs to vulnerable people,” and also using crytpocurrency to launder criminal funds and make money tracking more difficult for police.
“While infiltration of the public sector seems to occur mostly at the local or regional level, organized crime groups may be using the benefits for interprovincial or international criminal activities,” said the report, obtained by Blacklock’s.
The report added that a small number of OCGs in Canada are involved in infiltrating the public sector, which CISC said shows a “significant intelligence gap.”
“The actual proportion is likely higher as the involvement of almost two thirds of the assessed organized crime groups in this sector is unknown. Of those who are, some have ties with municipalities through associates or personal relations within major Canadian cities.”
The report also acknowledged that “infiltration of the Canadian public sector” by organized crime is a key issue.
