As the Careless Order a Latte, Thieves Grab Something to Go

New York Times spreads a little paranoia among Starbucks customers!

International theft rings steal hundreds of vehicles in D.C. area every year

Interesting piece in Washington Post on the globalisation of car theft. Cars stolen in Washington and shipped to Africa. Must be happening in other US cities. Same modus operandi as used by East European gangs after collapse of Communism.

These Guantánamo files undo the al-Qaida myth machine

Interesting piece arguing that a number of our ideas about al Qaeda are mythical

Online poker sites shut down by FBI

Onine gambling is illegal in the USA...but poker players claim it's a game of skill...

Bristol squatters deny Tesco attack and petrol bomb claims

OK, this is the Guardian [yeah, so it's suspect. Something more than a little odd going on here. I thought the story in the Independent [two posts down] had a manufactured feel to it. This piece claims everyone had moved out of the squat bar 4 individuals. Do I smell undercover police officers somewhere in this little mess?

We will probably find out 5 years down the line. Ah, the things people do to influence the local elections.

The story of 'Fat Tony' and the Melbourne underworld

A rare glimpse into Australian organised crime. Book by Adam Shand: "Big Shots". Some strange comments at the foot of the piece.

Police raid over 'petrol bomb plot' sparks Tesco riots

"A Tesco Express store in the bohemian neighbourhood of Stokes Croft, in the north of the city, was the focal point for the violence, with police claiming that they had uncovered a plot to petrol bomb the store, which opened eight days ago to widespread hostility from the community."

Now the UK police wouldnt be putting the interests of big business above the interest of the people who actually pay the taxes that pay for them, would they? Of course not! The quote from the Independent above is obviously tongue in cheek...Isn't it? [There's a bohemian neighbourhood in Bristol??? There's a bohemian neighbourhood outside the 1950s???? Journalists and police officers have been watching too much Life on Mars, Heartbeat etc.....]

France seeks change to Schengen border agreement

Or should the headline be Italy deliberately abuses Schengen agreement and Dublin agreement too? Btitish journalists tend to have an axe to grind here...

HIV Patient Reports Major Police Database Leak

You can always trust the police...to sell any data they may gather. Moscow Times story about what you can buy in the Savlyovsky market. Where's Justice Eady when you need him?

Милиция вернула издательству изъятые книги "Корпорация Подмосковье"

The Moscow region police have returned a book on corruption in the region to the publisher after the Deputy Governor tried to have it banned for libel. Where's Justice Eady when you need him?
The link takes you to the original Russian article as the Moscow Times piece is very brief indeed. the publisher runs a blog, which may be worth finding.

Gino Coutinho: Dutchman who makes Joey Barton look like Theo Walcott

Another Sport/crime story. Why do they all come along together? Goalkeeper at Den Haag done for running cannabis factory, money laundering and forgery.

Italy seizes two football teams in mafia bust

Seizure of 'Ndragheta assets in Calabria, including two football teams.

Claims of multi-million pound race fixing scandal to be investigated

Anyone at the Cambridge Symposium last year will remember my attempts to teach the Manhattan D.A.s office about cricket in order to introduce them to financial crime in sport. Here's more about betting and corruption.

Trillion dollar fraudster who took in Sven and Koreans

see Panorama: the trillion dollar can man. 18th April 2011

Police consider payment probe

The Metropolitan police have finally noticed what Rebekkah Brooks said to M.P.s in 2003. Chris Bryant, the MP at the centre of the questions asked, strangely had his leg broken in a charity rugby match at Twickenham this weekend...and was sent home without it being put in plaster by the Twickenham medical staff. Odd that....http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-13161075

Court finds police kettling was unlawful

High Court fires shot across police bows...Oi Ploddie!...Noooooo! Wont stop 'em though. No-one seems to understand that there is something wrong in a country where the police ignore the courts....Could it be cos the media pay the plods? See previous post.

Stop and search: just two anti-terror arrests

2009-10...92,000 stopped under terrorism powers, only two people arrested. No wonder the European Court of Human Rights stopped the nonsense

Police condemn Neil Lennon parcel bombs

Unbelievably, in the UK, paramilitary lunatics also support football and send bombs in the post to prominent people in their least favourite team. A form of terrorism not often studied...

French riot police threaten to strike over alcohol ban

Seems reasonable to me...It is with a meal, after all! This is the sort of story that the world can get really worked up about. You cant drive on a drink in most of Europe, but you can wield a baton!

Three held after raids by armed Gardai

Rare insight into relationships between paramilitaries and organised crime. Feud between "Real IRA" and organised crime groups in Dublin. RIRA after control of club door security in order to control drug sales. Somebody must be researching this and writing it up over in Ireland. Classic behaviour.

Jack the Ripper was a German sailor, detective claims

Well, of course! Or a Bulgarian or a Rumanian. Found this piece while looking for more on Dortmund prostitution.

Gang crime scuppers Germany's red light experiment

Frustratingly short piece about the closing of the Dortmund model because of a glut of Bulgarian prostitutes and the gangs that control them. I will check the German press to see if there's more info.

How a big US bank laundered millions from Mexico's murderous drug gangs

Allegedly, surely? The whistleblower's story of Wachovia. Lots of information here on money-laundering.