The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said a number of so-called paramilitary groupings have issued threats during the coronavirus crisis.
The head of the force's Paramilitary Crime Task Force has warned those seeking to exploit communities to stop, or risk facing the consequences of their actions.
Detective Chief Inspector Martin Cummings said: "We are aware that people hiding under the convenient flags of various so-called paramilitary groupings have been issuing threats to those living within their communities.
"Let me be clear that this has to stop immediately.
"It is wrong on so many levels and particularly during the coronavirus pandemic when people are adjusting to a different way of life.
"Threats create fear within communities who are already trying to cope with the pressures of the pandemic.
“Those issuing threats should also think very hard about the impact on frontline health service workers who are already working tirelessly to save people’s lives.
Inspector Cummings added: "Paramedics, nurses, doctors and all other NHS and care workers need to be allowed to focus all their efforts on treating and saving people with COVID-19 and other unavoidable injuries and health conditions.
"To add any more stress to their already stretched resource is not only selfish but taking a reckless risk with people’s lives."
“Individuals issuing threats of violence should be ashamed of themselves.
"It is a strong symbol of the contempt they feel for their own communities and a powerful indicator that they do not care about protecting communities but only about exploiting them and securing power and grip for gangs and gangsters."
He said the PSNI's Paramilitary Crime Task Force will continue to "disrupt the criminal activity of organised criminals who badge themselves as paramilitaries."
Anyone with with information about any paramilitary organised crime is being asked to get in touch with police.
The cross-agency Paramilitary Crime Task Force was set up to tackle criminality linked to paramilitarism.
