I think something like a "criminal underworld" exist in every kind of state's.
How strong such thing organzed had to do with the state and society.

OC mostly connected with the legal power. IMO that's the key to unterstand OC groups. Without a connection between them you have only some
criminals.

So i think you will find some kind of OC in Venezia, Genova, Florence (12-14. AC). I heard Paris in the middle age had groups.

I'm sure Paris had kind of OC groups through the time