De term criminele inmenging is reeds onderdeel van het maatschappelijk en criminologisch discours, maar binnen de academische literatuur niet gedefinieerd en geconceptualiseerd. Bij criminele inmenging maken criminele organisaties gebruik van bonafide bedrijven voor de facilitering van criminele bedrijfsprocessen. We introduceren een definitie op basis van empirisch onderzoek en onderscheiden hierbinnen drie vormen hoe bonafide bedrijven als facilitator kunnen optreden. Dit schijnt zowel licht op de vehikelfunctie van ondernemingen als op manieren waarop criminele organisaties die vehikelfunctie aanwenden. Door te illustreren hoe verweving plaatsvindt, hopen we handvatten te bieden om ongewenste verwevenheid te voorkomen.

English: Summary:

While not a new phenomenon, research on criminal intrusion in (small) businesses is often focussed on the perspective of the criminal, reconstructed after a crime has taken place. In this article we add the perspective of the entrepreneur from the moment he/she is confronted with early signs of possible criminal intrusion. Firstly, we introduce a definition of criminal intrusion, based on 18 cases of (attempted) criminal intrusion in small business: The process by which an actor of a criminal organization turns to and associates with a bona fide corporation, making that corporation a facilitator of criminal business process without its deliberate intent. Secondly, we distinguish three (not necessarily limitative) main practices on how this facilitation of crime takes place within the scope of criminal intrusion in bona fide businesses: 1) a transactional model, which focusses on an exchange of products or services between criminal organizations and businesses; 2) a parasitic relationship where operational processes are abused for criminal gains, and 3) infiltration, in which targeted infiltration, corruption of employees or ‘criminal investment’ takes place to gain a foothold within the business. By introducing a theoretical framework for the categorisation of cases, we hope to further develop the possibilities of (criminological) analysis of criminal intrusion, while simultaneously provide small business owners insights to strengthen their resilience against organised crime.