Visit: MeTee.com Support this Youtube channel and Design & Publish a T-Shirt using the link above. This channel is brought to you by MeTee T-Shirts: T-shirt Design in Seconds & Free Shipping Worldwide. - Wednesday August 24 2011 8:44 am Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are politically motivated (see Violent non-state actor (VNSA)). Gangs may become 'disciplined' enough to be considered 'organized'. An organized gang or criminal set can also be referred to as a mob. Mafia is a term used to describe a number of criminal organizations around the world. The first organization to bear the label was the Sicilian Mafia based in Sicily, known to its members as Cosa Nostra. In the United States, 'the Mafia' generally refers to the Italian American Mafia. Other high level organized crime groups such as the American prison gang the Mexican Mafia use the term 'Mafia' to describe their group. Latin American drug cartels are often considered Hispanic or Latino Mafia's. Other international organizations described as mafias include the Russian Mafia, the Irish Mob, the Chinese Triads, the Japanese Yakuza, the Neapolitan Camorra, Calabrian 'Ndrangheta, and the Apulian Sacra Corona Unita. There are also a number of localized mafia ...