A business operation that supplies illegal goods and services for profit is described as which?

• A. Militias
• B. Organized crime
• C. Art theft
• D. Mafia

Answer: (B)

Organized crime is the best description here. It refers to a structured, profit-driven illegal enterprise that supplies illicit goods and services as a business. These groups organize activities like trafficking, extortion, gambling, and other illegal markets, operating with a hierarchy, division of labor, and methods focused on maximizing profit while managing risk. The term captures the idea of an ongoing, coordinated operation rather than a single act or a specific group.

A mafia is a well-known example of organized crime, but the broader term is more accurate because it encompasses various groups and regions. Militias are primarily armed political or paramilitary groups, not necessarily organized around illegal markets for profit. Art theft, while illegal, describes a specific crime rather than an entire business-like criminal network.