It is known as underworld to the set of criminal gangs that operate in a region . The concept can also refer to a particular group of criminals and criminals that act in a coordinated way.
For example: "The neighborhood was taken by the underworld, we can't even leave our houses", “He was a member of the underworld for many years until he decided to get away from the crime”, "Blow to the underworld: they arrested an important drug dealer trying to enter the country with several kilos of cocaine".
The idea underworld is often used as a synonym for mafia . The underworld, in this sense, is the organized crime . Its members are governed by a code which includes various standards: one of the best known is the law of silence , which implies the commitment not to talk to anyone outside about criminal activities. The underworld member who violates the law of silence is often punished with death.
The clans that make up the underworld are organized in a vertical structure. There are bosses or leaders who give orders, and subordinates who must obey. This causes struggles for the power , since those who are in the lower sector of the structure try to ascend and get to have the command.
For the authorities, dismantling the underworld gangs is a complex task. These groups can have many resources (weapons, money , etc.) and have accomplices in the police and the judiciary. In addition, due to the aforementioned code of the underworld, many times they become difficult to dismantle sets, which may lose some members but still work.
