Not to be confused with
football/soccer firms. Firm (which in this context has exactly the same meaning as
mafia) is a term used for organised criminal gangs in the United Kingdom, particularly England. Firms usually consist of white Britons, often run by one family. They are usally highly organised and keep very much underground, some firms may get corrupt
police and politicions on their side, but in general they try to avoid all forms of authority.
They opperate in very similar ways to other criminal organizations like the Italian/sicilian
mafia and
Irish mob, like them, firms also have traditional values of respect, looking after your family and the rest of the firm and the code of silence.
Their criminal activities are mainly for financial gain, and they include; drug dealing, gun running, smuggling, extortion, armed robbery, protection rackets, kidnapping, the list goes on. Some larger firms opperate on an international basis, you
will find quite a few
British firms operating in places like the Costa Del Sol in Spain, and in other parts of Europe too.
Possibly the most
well known of all Britains
crime firms are, The Kray twins, refered to as "The Firm", they were one of the most notorious
gangs in Londons east end in the 60s.
