European Commission Home Affairs - 2011 Call for Proposals Organised Crime and Related Issues

1. Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear materials CBRN deadline 17 October 2011
2. Radicalisation leading to terrorism and the role of victims of terrorism in preventing radicalisation RAD deadline 17 October 2011
3. Cross border law enforcement cooperation particularly in the access to and exchange of information through the implementation of the principle of availability through the Prüm Decisions and the 'Swedish Initiative' deadline 17 October 2011
4. Operational law enforcement cooperation, including Customs cooperation, and Joint Investigation Teams JIT-deadline 17 October 2011
5. Trafficking in Human Beings THB deadline 24 October 2011
6. Illegal use of Internet INT deadline 24 October 2011
   Corrigendum
7. Financial and Economic Crime FINEC deadline 24 October 2011

Preventing misuse of public funds by criminal organisations

Public funds should be made fully traceable to prevent mafia-style organisations from misusing them, says a resolution approved by the Civil Liberties Committee on Thursday. MEPs also call for a special EP committee to investigate infiltration of the public sector and the legal economy by organised crime.

Organised crime, especially Mafia-style crime, takes advantage of globalisation, the abolition of borders in the EU and differences among EU Member States' laws to make substantial profits and go unpunished. This is possible because criminal organisations have created a support network and consolidated infiltrations into the political world, the civil service and the legal economy, says the resolution.

Premier's wish for CCC to probe organised crime - Australia

WEST Australian Premier Colin Barnett will push ahead with a bid to expand the Crime and Corruption Commission's ``extraordinary powers'' to fight organised crime, despite high-level opposition.
Mr Barnett says a bill to empower the CCC to investigate organised crime directly will be introduced soon, despite a parliamentary committee and others rejecting the recommendation.

Mexico Needs Tough Conspiracy Laws to Fight Organized Crime

Conspiracy laws sighting all of the participants with a euphemistic bull's eye on their backs was the most proactive and strategic instrument ever designed to hunt organized criminals.  These laws allow for the holding of all players culpable at all levels, regardless if they know of each other's existence; or whether or not they see or touch the contraband.

Australian Institute of Criminology

This is fun. The AIC videos visiting presenters and puts them on its website. Bill Tupman visited and was videoed in September 2011...Watch this space!

MEXICO: Calderon urges drug-using nations to seek a new path

Three times this week, Calderon urged nations that are the biggest buyers of illegal drugs -- tops is the United States -- to consider "market alternatives" if they can’t find ways to reduce consumption.
Before the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, Calderon said the best way to hit drug cartels that are wreaking violent havoc in Mexico is to cut demand. But if the governments can’t do so, Calderon said, they are "obligated to look for other ways, including market alternatives that prevent narco-traffickers from continuing to be the origin of violence and death."

China, Ukraine ready to enhance law enforcement cooperation

KIEV, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Top Chinese and Ukrainian security officials agreed here Friday to strengthen law enforcement bilateral cooperation and exchange in fighting terrorism, drug trafficking, illegal immigration and trans-national organized crime.

Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences - 1 year FREE MEMBERSHIP for Doctoral Student

A Special Offer for Doctoral Students:  Doctoral students in the field of criminal justice can take advantage of a one-year, free membership in ACJS.  This opportunity includes the subscriptions and newsletters described below, and can be used at any point during a doctoral program.  If you wish to take advantage of this offer, please fill out the Ph.D. Application, attach proof of your student status (either a copy of a student ID, or a departmental letter), and mail or fax to the National Office (address and fax number are provided on the application).  Please click here for more information.

Stockholm Criminology Symposium - June 11-13, 2012

Stockholm Criminology Symposium

The next Stockholm Criminology Symposium will take place June 11-13, 2012.

The symposium is an annual event that attracts more than 600 participants from all over the world. The first symposium was held in June 2006. During the years the symposium has become a true meeting point for researchers, policy-makers and practitioners interested in learning about the latest research findings of significance to crime policy. The symposium offers three days packed with presentations from a large number of projects, programs, academic research and studies or inquiries conducted by public sector agencies.

Why you should attendThe symposium offers an opportunity for networks, organizations and research groups to meet and discuss their work.

Australia: the last frontier of criminal networks

The illegal smuggling and disposal of waste is a global, and widespread phenomenon. From this perspective, Australia represents an interesting case study to identify the forthcoming developments and trends which will be put in practice by main criminal networks. To identify analysis guidelines, it is useful to start by examining some recent cases recorded in the region of New South Wales and in its main city, Sydney.

United Nations: Mexico’s Calderón Says World Needs To Help Combat Drug Trafficking

UNITED NATIONS — The world must address widespread violence in Mexico and the vast wealth of drug cartels, Mexican President Felipe Calderón said Wednesday during his address to the United Nation’s General Assembly.

See the speech HERE

Transnational Organized Crime: A Growing Threat to National and International Security

On July 25, 2011, the National Security Staff of USA released its strategy to combat transnational organized crime, titled “Addressing Converging Threats to National Security”. This article will refer to basic facts and data about the historical background, terminology, practices and final guidelines of the above mentioned strategy.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT HERE

WEBSITE: Organized Crime Research

This website presents information on organized crime from a social science perspective with a special geographical focus on the U.S. and Germany.

The site was first launched in 1999. The original purpose had been to share with a broader public some of the material collected for a doctoral dissertation on the concept and theory of organized crime in the U.S. The material includes, for example, a collection of organized crime definitions which has been considerably expanded over the years. A number of papers on organized-crime related subjects, including cigarette smuggling, have also consecutively been added and are available for downloading.

A more recent addition is the book-review section which features reviews of books on organized crime and related topics.

This site is bilingual (English and German). Some content, however, is available only in one of these two languages.

The material presented on this website may be used for academic, journalistic and official purposes in accordance with the applicable copyright laws. Please identify the source as 'Klaus von Lampe, Organized Crime Research (kvl-homepage), www.organized-crime.de'.

High levels of crime undermining regional development, UN warns Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/High-levels-of-crime-undermining-regional-development--UN-warns_9726227#ixzz1YOIBQaCe

UNITED NATIONS (CMC) — High levels of crime and insecurity, fuelled by organised gangsters, are threatening to undermine social and economic growth in the Caribbean and Latin America, the United Nations development chief has warned, even as the organisation praised the region for making "steady improvements" in governance.

Kosovo Albanians divided over organ trafficking allegations

The EU task force to investigate allegations of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) organ traficking and organised crime -- including by Prime Minister Hashim Thaci -- fueled a debate of its political impact on Kosovo.

Premier is ‘protecting the Mafia,’ Marois claims

MONTREAL - By refusing to launch a public inquiry into construction practices, Jean Charest “is protecting the Mafia, organized crime,” Pauline Marois declared Friday as she called for the premier to resign.
“Corruption has installed itself in the heart of the state,” the Parti Québécois leader said. “Organized crime, the Mafia, have literally infiltrated the government, our institutions.”

Emblematic Bulgarian Security Boss Sentenced for Organized Crime

Atanas Mandev, the emblematic head of security firm functioning as an organized crime group in Bulgaria's Sliven, has been sentenced to 12 years in jail.

SOCA to bolster data protection policies after child protection website breach

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) and its parent organisation the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), have made a commitment to improving the security of its websites.

Mexican police force investigated for organized crime links

Officials in Mexico say they're investigating more than 100 police officers in the northern city of Monterrey suspected of having links with organised crime.

Manchester striker Balotelli interviewed over possible contacts with the Camorra

Italian anti-mafia public prosecutors investigating on money laundering have interviewed Mario Balotelli over a visit he made last year to a known mafia hot spot in Naples, where he was photographed in the company of a couple of known Camorra men.

AUSTRAC's Typologies and case studies report 2011

  The Austrac typologies and case studies report 2011 reveals how the Government Agencies, combined with Austrac’s analysis of reports provided by Australian businesses, have led to asset seizures and arrests of criminals in Australia and overseas.

AUSTRAC's 2011 typologies report is the fifth in an annual series of reports produced by the agency.
The 2011 report includes 20 real-life case studies illustrating how legitimate services offered by Australian businesses have been exploited for criminal purposes. By highlighting these past examples of criminal activity, the report educates Australian businesses about their money laundering and terrorism financing risks and helps them recognise and mitigate these risks.
The report examines the ways in which criminals misused banks, casinos and money transfer agencies to commit serious transnational crime including fraud, terrorism financing, people smuggling and human trafficking.

The report is available here

Class A Drug Gang Sentenced

Good news from Devon and Cornwall police which will impact upon the whole of Devon/Cornwall. Eight  key members of an organised drug supply network were sentenced to a total of 40 years imprisonment for offences of jointly conspiring to supply both crack cocaine and heroin in Exeter.

China arrests thousands in crime crackdown

BEIJING, September 16, 2011 (AFP) - China said Friday it had arrested 2,182 people and broken up hundreds of gangs in an operation against organised crime, as a senior official pledged to crack down on police collusion with criminals.

Zetas-Milenio Cartel Alliance Heralds Danger for Jalisco

The latest shift in Mexico's perpetually changing criminal landscape is an alliance between th Zetas and the Milenio Cartel, which could be an ominous sign for the Pacific state of Jalisco.

Ecuador Weighs Creation of Specialized Court for Organized Crime, Terrorism

Ecuadorian officials have discussed imitating Spain’s model and creating a specialized court and prosecutors to tackle organized crime and terrorism, as part of ongoing reforms to the justice system.

Link between organized crime and construction clear: report

An rinvestigation into anti-corruption in Quebec has established a link between organized crime and Quebec’s construction industry.

Basilischi: The Fifth Mafia

Disclaimer: Even though this article has been published in 2008, it is still important to give it publicity given the fact that it explains, in English, the rise and presence of the Fifth Italian Mafia, The Basilischi, a subject area not known or less known even to the experts of the field.

     "There is Cosa Nostra in Sicily, ‘Ndrangheta in Calabria, Camorra in Campania and Sacra Corona Unita in Puglia. A fifth mafia has been added, the Basilischi, in the region of Basilicata (also called by its former name, Lucania)".

East Midlands police crime units aim to save £26m

Five East Midlands police in the UK forces hope to save £26m over four years by creating two regional units to tackle major and serious organised crime.

Europol to focus on reducing number of criminal groups from Albanian-speaking area

Europol's Deputy Director Michel Quille stated Friday in Belgrade that in the coming period, the organization will focus on countering smuggling and busting of criminal groups from the Albanian-speaking area, so the cooperation with Serbia and other Western Balkan countries is of immense importance.

Camorra and counterfeiting in the north of Italy

A counterfeit clothing ring run by the Camorra for the sale of designer brands in the region of Lombardy and north-east Italy was discovered in Padova.

Bulgaria busts gang that trafficked women to Italian resorts

The leader and several members of a gang that for three years had been trafficking Bulgarian women to Italian resorts to be forced to work as prostitutes have been arrested in an operation by Botevgrad and Sofia police.

Four years in jail for Scots businessman in £17m VAT scam

A BUSINESSMAN has been jailed for his role in an organised crime gang involved in a £17 million VAT scam.

Shabir Anwar Ahmed, 52, from Glasgow, was sentenced to four years in prison after admitting conspiracy to steal taxpayers' money between February and December 2005.

Italian mafia investigators to approach Mario Balotelli

Anti-mafia investigators in Italy want to interview Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli over a visit he made to a known mafia hot spot in Naples.

300 kilograms of cocaine found in a sailing boat in Italy

305 packages of pure cocaine for a sum of 10 million euro were found in the hold of a boat from Brazil by customs officers on island of Elba (Tuscany).

seized mafia assets put to good use

A big photovoltaic plant will be realized on a land that was seized from the notorious Casalesi boss Francesco Schiavone ("Sandokan").

Turkish hacker group diverts users away from high-profile websites

A slightly different modus operandi

Members of Camorra arrested during a major drugs raid in Ibiza

Spain police arrested in Ibiza during twin operations 73 persons, mostly Britons and members of Camorra. They were suspected of importing and selling cocaine and ketamine. Police seized a huge amount of drugs and in particular of pills known as Pink Rock Star, similar to those responsible for the death of a British woman in Ibiza in July.