Boot-leg DVDs and Fake Sunglasses Could be Funding Organized Crime

Despite the illegality of it, it seems relatively innocent to get onto Ebay and buy knock-off designer clothes or bootleg DVDs.^[1] Few people are too concerned when they stop at the corner and get a pair of fake Oakleys or a marijuana doobie, but the Ontario Police are warning buyers that they could be directly supporting organized crime.^[2]

In a new report called "Out of the Shadows,"^[3] the Ontario Police try to debunk romanticized stereotypes about organized crime by pointing out that such criminals can be violent, pose a threat to legitimate businesses and undermine the country's economic well-being.^[4] One obstacle police face in getting the public to understand the threat posed by organized criminals is the often romanticized stereotype of the gangster portrayed in popular culture, the report says, the most prominent modern example being that of the outlaw motorcycle gang.^[5]

"The public has to make better choices with respect to the type of activities that they engage in....people go out and they think they're getting a deal, they think they're getting a bargain, (but) they have to understand there's a far greater price being paid as a result of their supporting the criminal group." said Bill Blair, the president of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and head of the Toronto police force.^[6]

The report, released Monday, outlines various organized criminal activities - from arms trafficking and prostitution to drug dealing, money laundering and so-called "e-crimes."^[7] The report is designed to educate the public about the broader impact of buying drugs, cheap auto parts or other contraband, all of which amounts to supporting organized crime.^[8]

An example, Blair said, is someone who buys stolen or fake designer clothing at a deep discount or picks up a joint from a street dealer.^[9] "Much of that money is then reinvested in other criminal activities - the importation of more serious drugs, the importation of firearms into our community......Those firearms are then sold to violent street criminals and then somebody gets killed on our streets," Blair said.^[10]

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^[1] Colin Perkel, Buying pot, bootleg CDs or fake brands helps organized crime: Ontario police, Canadian Press, July 10, 2007, LEXIS, News Library, Wire News Services File.
^[2] Id.
^[3] Avaialble at www.oacp.on.ca
^[4] Perkel, supra note 1.
^[5] Id.
^[6] Id.
^[7] Id.
^[8] Id.
^[9] Id.
^[10] Id.