Overview

In Canada, EEOC consists of criminal groups and organizations comprised principally or entirely of individuals originating from Russia and other former Soviet Union (FSU) republics, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland as well as the Balkan region including: Bulgaria, Romania, the former Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia and Croatia) and Albania.

While the traditional centre of EEOC in Canada remains Southern Ontario, several other provinces, particularly British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec, report varying levels of presence in the larger urban centres. Interprovincial associations between EEOC groups operating in Canada are reported.

EEOC groups based in Canada have extensive transnational connections to counterparts around the globe. Collaboration with other organized crime groups, namely outlaw motorcycle gangs or Traditional (Italian-based) organized crime groups occur, but primarily for short-term, mutually beneficial ventures.

Many EEOC groups are adept at disguising and insulating their illegitimate activities through legitimate business ventures. These legitimate enterprises could provide direct access to market sectors they consider to be vulnerable to criminal exploitation.

EEOC groups engage in a broad spectrum of criminal activities ranging from lowlevel criminality to more entrepreneurial crimes requiring specialized knowledge. The ability to plan and carry out sophisticated frauds is an EEOC hallmark. In Canada, their most frequently reported criminal activities include: financial and insurance frauds, vehicle theft and illegal export, prostitution, large-scale shoplifting, theft, commodities smuggling, and money laundering as well as illicit drug importation and trafficking.

EEOC has demonstrated, on a number of occasions, the ability to acquire the knowledge and tools required to manipulate technology in order to facilitate financial frauds. A British Columbia-based investigation uncovered an EEOC group responsible for an elaborate debit card fraud in 2002. This scheme, facilitated by exploiting privately-owned automated teller machines, netted over $1.2 million before being disrupted in December 2002.

Large-scale vehicle theft, many destined for resale in foreign markets, is another favoured EEOC criminal venture. Vehicle theft reportedly costs Canadians close to $1 billion per year. According to the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, 25 per cent of vehicles stolen in Canada in 2001 can be attributed to organized crime. While not all organized crime vehicle theft can be linked to EEOC groups, they play a significant role.