RIVAL crime gangs are putting their feuds aside in their quest for vast illegal profits.

Intelligence gathered by the Australian Crime Commission reveals once warring factions are now more interested in making money than fighting.

Gangs with ethnic backgrounds are forming alliances with ethnic groups that were former enemies.

The trend emerged during a worldwide intelligence trawl by the commission as it compiled a national criminal threat assessment that identifies many of Australia's Mr Bigs and their associates.

It provides details of long-established underworld bosses as well as younger criminals keen to muscle in on the action.

ACC chief executive Alastair Milroy said it was a "who's who" guide to Australia's criminal zoo. The ACC used information from police and other agencies around the nation and the world to produce the report.

"It is a starting point for pursuing those who should be behind bars, and gives law enforcement a better understanding of Australia's serious and organised criminal networks - and up and coming generations," he said.

Mr Milroy said:

PRODUCING amphetamine-based pills, aimed at young partygoers, was the biggest growth area in the drug scene.

OUTLAW bikie gangs dominated the amphetamine market.

PEOPLE with legitimate access to firearms, such as unscrupulous licensed dealers, appear to be the major suppliers of illegal weapons.

DRUGS, fraud, money laundering, firearms, identity theft and hi-tech crimes are law enforcement's biggest concerns at a national level.

ORGANISED gangs are stealing from car parts manufacturers and selling them on the black market.

CARD skimming, where data is electronically captured from the magnetic strip of legal credit cards and recoded on to illegal cards, is a major problem.

THE ACC has identified 97 organised crime groups operating in Australia and overseas, 42 of which have links to Victoria.

Mr Milroy said the commission and partner agencies were going after the crime groups with every tool in their armoury.

Organised crime bosses could be charged with tax evasion, money laundering and corporate offences as well as drug dealing or gun-running.

But Mr Milroy warned it wasn't easy to get results.

"They intimidate witnesses and use knowledge of law enforcement methods to defeat investigations," he said.

Mr Milroy said the information in the national criminal threat assessment would help identify the crime figures and groups on which to concentrate.

"We are able to call on our many partner agencies and utilise our combined expertise to target organised crime groups and their bosses," he said.

"That means they are up against the combined resources and expertise of state, territory and federal law enforcement agencies, complemented by the commission's coercive powers."

Herald Sun