A criminal group is a collective of individuals who come together to commit illegal activities. The term can refer to a variety of organizations, including a TRIAD (5 letters), which is a Chinese organized crime SYNDICATE; a SYNDICATE (9 letters), which is an organized crime group that operates on a large scale; a GANG (4 letters), which is a group of criminals who operate in a specific area; a RING (4 letters), which is a group of criminals who specialize in a particular type of crime; a MOB (3 letters), which is a large group of criminals who are often violent; and a MAFIA (5 letters), which is an Italian organized crime SYNDICATE.