What term refers to illegal activities conducted by a structured group that coordinates the procurement of illegal goods and services?

• A. Fence
• B. Organized crime
• C. Credit card crimes
• D. Child abuse

Answer: (B)

At the heart of this concept is organized crime: illegal activities carried out by a structured, ongoing group that coordinates the procurement of illicit goods and services to profit over time. These groups assign roles, maintain routines, and use a clear hierarchy or division of labor to run operations, often spanning multiple markets or jurisdictions. The defining element is the organizational structure and coordinated effort, not just a single act or a lone offender. Because of this, the term best fits the description of a coordinated enterprise seeking to obtain illegal goods or services through planned, collective activity.

A fence, by contrast, is typically an individual who buys and resells stolen property, not an organized enterprise with coordinated, ongoing operations. Credit card crimes describe particular techniques used to steal or misuse payment data, rather than the organizational framework of a criminal enterprise. Child abuse refers to a separate harm and does not describe an organized network engaged in illicit procurement of goods or services.