In this context, the difference is that intelligence agencies have a bigger budget: the cited hack does not show that an ordinary criminal budget would be sufficient.
Right, and the point is that organized crime and intelligence are so intertwined that state-level resources are also open to what some would term criminals and others would term the state. Both groups would be strictly correct while still missing the point.
Truer words were never said.
Often street criminals and other lumpen sections of society work for intelligence agencies
The lumpen don't get enough credit
here is an article about cia providing prostitutes to people of influence