Russia's heroin problem and ongoing battles over Afghan poppy fields

Washington Post piece. Depressing statistic: Russia has 2 million addicts who consume 21 of the world supply. Even more depressing statistic: in 2001 when Taliban in control, production minute. After coalition invaded, in 2002 production rose to 3,000 tons By 2008, at 8,000 tons and was supposed to have dipped last year to 7,000 tons. Mostly grown in Kandahar and Helmand...It seems a long time since John Reid told us that the UK was sending troops to Helmand to eradicate opium poppy production. Remember? It was January 2006, actually, according to the Times: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/afghanistan/article7146449.ece

Chechnya is more violent than reported

Ivan Syoduruk, Deputy Prosecutor for the North Caucasus speaking to a Russian senatorial committee said 23 militia and soldiers being killed a week. 40% of population are unemployed. Figures are totally at odds with the complacency displayed by Putin and Medvedev.

Fake Parts "Endanger Flight Safety"

No, really...14,000 counterfeits out of 60,000 inspected...Thats not good. But how many is it in other countries? How big is trade in counterfeit aircraft parts? there's something else to worry about next time you're flying to Italy...after all, they have counterfeit road tunnels!

Travelling to Canada risks four years in jail

there must be many other countries where identifying your unit and the place where it is deployed are matters of national security. Bloomin Canucks!

Woman arrested in Yemen

Italian take on the devices discovered en route for cargo planes to US.

Russians join US troops in Afghanistan drugs raid

A Long March begins with the first step. Now lets cooperate with the Chinese too...

Al Qaeda is a bigger threat than 10 years ago

Excellent interview with Michael F. Scheuer, former head of the CIA's bin Laden unit. Never thought I would agree with so much an American "expert" had to say. Respect, Michael!

Rescued from the shredder: Carlos the Jackal's missing years

This explains why the intelligence agencies of the West were so certain of an East German connection in the 1970s. A link to the Focus magazine would be more than welcome, or to anyone who has translated the Focus article into English. Who were his bodyguards and why did they sell him out in the Sudan?

Parliament freezes EU police college funds over dodgy accounts

But dont worry, its all better now!

Yemen cargo plane carried explosives, Dubai police say.

here's the reason why no-one will stop the Metropolitan police conducting fruitless and irritating stop and searches. Nothing to do with the mid-term elections in the US, I don't suppose...Take your shoes off Lucy, dont you know you're in an airport?

101,000 stop and searches. No terror arrests

But no-one will do anything about it because of suspect devices on aeroplanes...Proportionality? Forget it. Most done by Met or BTP. is there a training failure somewhere? ie in London?

Ireland's growing Industry

Excellent piece on the mechanics of growing cannabis in Ireland.

"Emir of the South" Abu Zeid poised to take over al-Qaeda in North West Africa

Hostage taker in the Sahel increases in importance.

Workshop on organised crime in Catania

“The EU policy on organised crime between Stockholm and Lisbon”
Catania, Faculty of Political Science – October 2010 / July 2011
Via Vittorio Emanuele 49 – II Flooor

1. Workshop on “The new JHA policy process in the Lisbon Treaties” directed by Francesca Longo and Daniela Irrera 29/30 October 2010.

29 October
9.00 Opening
9.30 Prof. Dr. Dr. Jörg Monar, Sussex European Institute, University of Sussex, Director of Political and Administrative Studies - College of Europe -
10:45 Break
11:00 Interventions and discussion
14:30 Dr. Denis Clark
15:15 Break
15:30 Interventions and discussion
30 October
9.00 Opening
9.30 10:45 Mr. Neumann, Head of the Europol Legal Affairs Unit
10:45 Break
11:00 Round Table and Sum up

For further information, please contact:

Francesca Longo (lonfran@unict.it)
Daniela Irrera (dirrera@unict.it)
Valentina Barbagallo (urisp@unict.it)

Dissident paramilitaries see numbers rise to more than 600

An update on the dissident Republicans. Real IRA continues to be biggest and has changed its leadership.

Open for business: the brothel with 1,800 prostitutes

In Catalonia, on the French border. Its legal in spain, so maybe it shouldnt be on a blog about organised crime, but note there has been a court case and note also the decision of the Spanish Supreme Court. More fuel for the debates on the sex industry.

Europe's biker gangs set on collision course with police

Biker gang membership growing in Europe. Are they involved in organised crime? The Independent muses on the subject.

Traders should be responsible for rogue algorithms

time to police computer generated alterations to reality. this will start in the stock market, but expect to see the computer in court more and more regularly as US lawyers work out how to bring cases.

Carlos the Jackal was my friend

Strange story of an undercover journalist and Venezuelan escapades.

Hamas war on drugs

The original headline is just too silly to use. An account of the changing Hamas policy against drugs, with a very small account of the nature of the problem, which is then tied into Hamas opposition to alcohol and moves against smoking in public places.

13 Britons held over Spain Drug Ring

More Liverpudlians nicked, this time in Spain. This gang allegedly selling drugs in holiday resorts including ecstasy in Ibiza. There's a bit more information in the Liverpool Echo: http://tinyurl.com/3399997

When the time is right to talk to terrorists

book by Mitchell T. Reiss on negotiations with Terrorists: IRA, ETA, HAMAS, the Awakening in Iraq and the Tamil Tigers. What lessons can be drawn?

Be very afraid-we are being fleeced by purveyors of fear

Piece by Simon Jenkins, reminding us that during the 70s, very real bombs went off in the UK regularly, but there wasnt the massive apparatus of "security" specialists trying to terrify the population on a daily basis. he asks the proper policing question: cui bono?