The Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic

Security and prevention

Organized Crime

Organized crime represents a serious security risk threatening the stability of the world economic system and in some countries even their political system. The goal of organized crime is to maximise profit while keeping the costs at the minimum. The profit can come not only in cash or in kind but e.g. also in the form of social and political influence. Organized crime can be defined as a collective criminal activity perpetrated by organized criminal group or organization characterised by long duration, division of labour, planning and orientation on high profits or gaining influence on public life. A characteristic feature of organized crime is a major violation of laws and efforts to take the utmost advantage of existing legislation. The criminal organizations operating in the Czech Republic are usually directly linked to foreign ones and their activities thus follow the current trends in international organized crime.

The experts of the Security Policy Department of MoI keep solving particular forms of organized crime. They do so mainly by means of the network of inter-ministerial working groups that are composed not only of the state administration parties but also attended by representatives of non-governmental organizations and academics. The outputs of the working groups lead toward coordination and concrete proposals for measures to take in order to make the fight against major forms of organized crime more efficient.

Main partners of the Department in the Czech Republic when it comes to the fight against organized crime are in particular selected units of the Czech Police with nationwide competence (Organized Crime Detection Unit, National Anti-Drug Centre, Financial Police, Criminal Police and Investigation Service) and intelligence services. The partners are invited to take part in the inter-ministerial working groups and an intensive expert communication is also in place. The partners are also consulted in the course of preparation of policy documents and particular courses of action. It goes without saying that the Department's representatives continuously participate in the international activities related to the fight against organized crime (working groups of the Council of the EU and Council of Europe, UN activities, conferences, expert lectures and workshops).