Organized Crimes in the Modern World - Essay Example

Organized crimes can generally be defined as illegal activities which are carried out in systematic and organized manner by a group of people for gaining power and monetary benefits of huge proportion and which may operate on regional, state or international scale. Such crimes are more lethal and are often characterized by extreme and cold blooded violence. As per the Omnibus Control and Safe street Act of 1968 of US ‘organized crime means the unlawful activities of the members of highly organized, disciplined association engaged in supplying illegal goods and services, including but not limited to gambling, prostitution, loan-sharking, narcotics, labor racketeering and other activities of the members of the organization’ (Mallory, 2006). There have been many famous gangsters who have run their crime syndicate with huge success and instilled fear and hatred in the mindset of the general public. But Al Capone of Chicago and Pablo Escobar of Columbia have been notorious for their violence ridden mass murders, rapid increase in their illegal activities and successful evasion of the law and legal network. Though both these criminals existed at different places and time, their modus operandi was quite similar and both were never actually tried for any of the cold blooded murders that they had committed through their henchmen. Despite the open knowledge of their organized crime by the state agencies, the law was always one step behind mainly because of their linkages and affiliations within the powerful political and legal arena which both of them deliberately cultivated. Al Capone was born on 1899 in Brooklyn and grew up in a neighborhood which was renowned for its unlawful activities. From the early age, he was involved into petty crimes and was member of two ‘kid gangs’, the Brooklyn Rippers and Forty Thieves Juniors (Al Capone,internet). He started on to his career in organized crime when he was employed as bouncer and bartender in Harvard Inn, run by the then notorious gangster Frankie Yale. After getting indicted in a murder case where he had killed two men in New York, he was released because of lack of evidence; he relocated to Chicago, along with his family and started working for John Torrio, another notorious gangster who was involved in bootlegging business. Capone gained the trust of his mentor and later became his partner. After Torrio moved from Chicago, Capone became the head of the ‘outfit’ and expanded and controlled the syndicate which was operating various gambling joints, brothels, horse and race tracks, bookie joints, nightclubs and many such organized outfits through which he could successfully run his various illegal activities. His affiliations with powerful politicians and lawmen ensured smooth operation of his various illegal activities because of the handsome monetary benefits paid to them. Al Capone maintained his powerful status in the underworld by killing his rivals when they became powerful. During his stay in Chicago, Chicago earned the reputation of being a lawless city. When Capone’s friend and Mayor of Chicago, William Hale Thomson Jr., realized that his political career was at stake, he tightened the noose around Capone through new police chief and Capone moved to Florida and ran his illegal activities through his well organized network. Capone was ultimately tried for tax evasion in illegal income through gambling houses and was sentenced to ten year of rigorous imprisonment and one year of misdemeanor sentence. During his last years in prison, he developed syphilitic dementia and even after returning to his home in Florida, his was never the same again and ultimately died in 1947 from cardiac arrest. Though Capone was involved into crimes of the worst orders, he was a fair and generous person and rewarded his people for their loyalty and honor. During the 1929 crash of the stock market, he made merchants distribute food and clothes to the needy at his expenses. Pablo Escobar, on the other hand, was born in 1949 in the slum area of Medellin, Columbia and dreamt of becoming the President of the country. Unfortunately his foray into the crime world, halted his dream of President-ship but, nevertheless, became one of the most powerful gangsters of the underworld and accrued huge wealth through illegal trafficking in cocaine and other narcotics. He increased his drug trafficking business by forming cartel of small drug traders and after getting his rival, Fabeo Restrepo, killed, he rapidly built it to become one of the largest and the most organized drug cartel. In the 1980s, he was listed in the top ten richest men of the world, which despite his immense wealth, Capone never could become. Like Capone, he believed in killing his rivals and having good contacts with the powerful people of the society. His wealth ensured his committed linkages with the political top shots and bureaucrats were maintained. His cartel controlled ‘white collar workers like bankers, lawyers and others’ (Escobar, internet, 2). He was never tried for any of his illegal activities. But when the political pressure was mounted by the US government, he surrendered himself to the Columbian authorities under his own terms and conditions who refused to extradite him and indirectly ensured his safeguard. Unlike Capone, Escobar was a popular figure and respectability through his political standing. In 1982, he was elected to the post of deputy representative to the Chambers of Representative of Columbia Congress and at the same time, literally becoming a cult figure for the people of Medellin, where he was born. Escobar was hugely popular among the less privileged class because he contributed hugely for low cost housing and other basic necessities for the communities in general. He also sponsored various charities and football matches and meticulously built his image through organized media campaign (Pablo Escobar, internet). While Capone’s underworld activities were confined to the state, Escobar’s drug cartel had operation across different countries, like Peru, Bogotá and America. But unlike Capone, Escobar met a violent death, in a well orchestrated campaign by his rivals and state authorities. After escaping from the jail, he was traced to his hideout in Los Olivos and ultimately died of bullet shot in his head. One can therefore, conclude that both the criminals were involved in organized crimes that had the support of the respectable citizens of the country! Reference Mallory, Stephen L. (2006). Understanding Organized Crime. Jones & Barlett Publishers. Capone, Al. Available from: [Accessed on 18 June 2008]. Escobar, Pablo. Available from: [Accessed on 18 June 2008]. Read More