A criminal organization engages itself in a range of illegal activities such as smuggling, drug trafficking, murder, and robbery. There are times when law enforcement authorities capture members of these groups, but these organizations continue to grow, controlling most parts of a country if not whole of it. According to Welcome Qatar, criminal agencies operate on a pyramid chain of command. A boss decides what route should be followed in their illegal dealings. Here are the top criminal organizations in the world.

1. The Russian Mafia

After the Soviet Union crumbled, the country ended up being controlled by the Russian Mafia, according to Welcome Qatar.

Nowadays, they control about 90% of the illegal activities in Russia. The mafia is among the biggest in the world with over half a million members. Prominent politicians are said to be puppets of the mafia, and its members are in most developed countries. The Russian Mafia is involved in all criminal activities including contract killing and theft. Judging by its size, it’s unlikely that the organization will end soon.

2. Camorra (An Italian Mafia)

According to Steemit, the Italian-American Mafia has been weakened in the US, but back in Italy, the Italian Mafia remains strong. Despite the efforts of the journalists, citizens and government officials, local governments are still linked to mafia groups in the country, including the Camorra.

It is estimated that Camorra is the most successful in Italy with $4.9 billion in revenue every year. Most of its money comes from drugs, firearms trafficking, forgery, gambling, extortion, and sexual exploitation. It is structured in a way that families own specific areas and it operates in 111 countries.

3. The Numbers Gang

The Numbers Gang is famous for being one of the most fearsome prison gangs, according to All-That-Is-Interesting, the gang is based in Western Cape prison of Pollsmoor, and from there they control almost every prison in South Africa. John Mongrel and the 28s leads the group, and members are initiated through forced sodomy and violence.

Leaving the group is punishable by death and 28s, 27s and 26s are levels of function within the gang. The gang is systemized across South African prison system.

4. Yakuza

The Yakuza is a Japanese criminal organization which is very notorious for its strict codes and violent nature, according to Welcome Qatar. It is described as the most organized crime syndicate on earth and has around 100,000 members. The Yakuza are responsible for any crime you can think of, but the one that generates the most profit for the organization is illegal gambling. The initiation process into the group involves physical violence, and therefore members are capable of defending themselves.