The Guardian More than 900 crime families and other organised criminal groups in the UK, are dealing in activities ranging from drugs smuggling to trafficking endangered species of rare animals, a report revealed yesterday. The Threat from Serious and Organised Crime.
Investigators believe that many professionals turn a blind eye to criminal activity.
Rows between rival drug gangs accounted for an estimated 52 murders in the UK last year, the report said. Many of those who pay criminals for passage into the UK are either forced into prostitution or imprisoned until their families pay ransom money. While most of the crime gangs in the UK are British, NCIS identified significant activity by criminals from Albania, China, Colombia, the former Soviet Union, south Asia, Turkey, west Africa and the West Indies. Albanian criminals were associated mainly with heroin trafficking, and prostitution. Chinese Triads, primarily the 14K and Wo Shing Wo groups, were linked to illegal immigration.