FOLLOWING A DESCRIPTION OF GENERAL CRIME TRENDS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, THE GENERAL CHARACTER OF ORGANIZED CRIME IN BRITISH COLUMBIA IS OUTLINED WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE ASSOCIATION OF ORGANIZED CRIME WITH VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS. THE MAFIA, WHICH IS OF ITALIAN ORIGIN, IS BELIEVED TO BE INVOLVED IN ALL ASPECTS OF ORGANIZED CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. ORGANIZED CRIME HAS ALSO EMERGED FROM THE CHINESE POPULATION IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. HOWEVER, THE ETHNIC CHARACTER OF ORGANIZED CRIME IN BRITISH COLUMBIA SHOULD NOT BE OVEREMPHASIZED; A VARIETY OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND OPPORTUNITIES HAVE ATTRACTED CRIMINALS FROM EVERY ETHNIC BACKGROUND AND PRODUCED GROUPS THAT ARE FLUID AND INFORMAL. WHILE LONG-STANDING ASSOCIATIONS AMONG MAJOR CRIMINALS DO EXIST AND ARE MANIFEST IN ACTIVITIES SUGGESTIVE OF THE SYNDICATED CRIME FOUND IN THE UNITED STATES, THE DEGREE OF ENTRENCHMENT IS LESS MARKED AND THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED MORE VULNERABLE TO PROSECUTION, WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF DRUG TRAFFICKERS. THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES OF ORGANIZED CRIME IN BRITISH COLUMBIA ARE DISCUSSED: DRUGS, PORNOGRAPHY, PROSTITUTION, GAMBLING, LOANSHARKING, ROBBERY AND THEFT, AND COMMERCIAL CRIME AND THE INFILTRATION OF LEGITIMATE BUSINESS. OF MOST SIGNIFICANCE IN FIGHTING ORGANIZED CRIME HAS BEEN THE CREATION OF THE POLICE COMMISSION AND THE COORDINATED LAW ENFORCEMENT UNIT (CLEU). THE POLICE COMMISSION HAS BEEN GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR STANDARDS, RESEARCH, RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, AND THE ADJUDICATION OF DISCIPLINARY MATTERS. THE CLEU WAS DESIGNED TO SUPPRESS ORGANIZED CRIME BY COORDINATING THE EFFORTS OF POLICE AND OTHER AGENCIES AND BY SEEKING NEW TECHNIQUES FOR SOLVING OLD, INTRACTABLE CRIME PROBLEMS. THE IMPACT OF THE POLICE, THE INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM, THE CROWN COUNSEL SYSTEM, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, COURT SERVICES, LEGISLATION, AND REGULATORY AGENCIES AND OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ON EFFORTS TO COMBAT ORGANIZED CRIME IN RECENT YEARS IS DETAILED. COOPERATION AND COORDINATION IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND OFFICIAL INNOVATION HAVE PROVED IMMENSELY SUCCESSFUL AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME SINCE 1974. SPECIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS ARE DESCRIBED. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)