Organized Crime in New York City

Organized crime is a crime that is committed by national and international structured crime syndicates that stifle free enterprise and increase the level of violence, fraudulent machinations, and corruption for purposes of obtaining gain or profits. Organized crime cripples and monopolizes fiscal markets, labor unions, and lawful business endeavors like construction and waste management.

In New York City Garment Center, organized crime is common and had affected the entire garment industry. Police officers in New York City had given proofs that organized crime crippled the garment industry of the said place by means of controlling trucking companies. Trucking companies in New York City are the lifeblood of the area’s garment industry. Some investigators gathered evidences that through constant control of trucking companies by organized group of criminals that the garment industry in New York was strangled by organized crime. There were recorded conversations to prove that hiring of trucking companies were completed wherein threats and extortion demands were done. Organized crime figures would force trucking companies to travel their goods such as garments without having chances of negotiation over pricing issues. An example of these evidences is the seizure of financial records of ten garment district truckers which was owned by an organized-crime figure. Due to inability of truckers to negotiate in terms of prices, competitors gained more profits compared to them who where strangled by organized-crime figures. The garment industry of other regions and countries competed to the highest level when various offices and manufacturers of garments in New York City became victims of organized crime.

The relationship between organized crimes and unions revolves around the infiltration of organized crime in labor unions. In the New York City area, substantial foothold has been maintained by organized-crime figures. There were many members of labor unions that held power due to membership of organized crime groups or syndicates and illegal activities includes mismanagement of pension funds.

Based on the evidences presented by police authorities, well-known organized-crime figures include Thomas Gambino and his brother Joseph Gambino. The trucking contractors that were involved in garment industry strangling in cooperation with organized-crime figures include Consolidated Carriers, Dynamic Delivery, Clothing Carriers, Greenberg’s Express, and G. R. G. Delivery, JHT Leasing as well as Astro Carriers. In connection, organized crime was eliminated from the garment industry by means of utilizing capability and tool the police authorities got hold of such as surreptitiously-managed operations, inspection, top secret sources, intelligence investigation and distribution, forensic accounting, multi-agency investigations, and the authority of racketeering legislations that aids authorities in tracing down the whole enterprises. Lastly, the police authorities in New York City also collaborated directly with their international allies and in some cases had exchanged of personnel in order to fabricate cases and dislocate syndicates with global connection.