The United States of Marijuana

Medicinal marijuana in Colorado

AP IMPACT: Al-Qaida carves out own country in Mali

Piece from Associated Press reported in the Guardian breaking news stream. Report on the situation in Northern Mali, where al Qaeda related groups appear to be digging in for a long conflict. The lesson should be: the West cant afford to undermine states. The long term winners are non-state actors such as al Qaeda. There is no mention of organised crime in this piece, but the people smuggling and trafficking trails will be there at the very least. What else?

Britain 'losing the war on cyber crime' as costs hit £205 million

Hmmm...Commissioner of City of London basically trying to protect himself against cuts here, I suspect, but he does give figures for various types of crime...mostly from the back of an envelope, but that never stopped academics using them as references!

22 NI laundering plants shut

Probably red diesel: agricultural fuel. Duty on petrol in UK so high that there must be other networks finding ways of avoiding it. but how and where is it sold?

Camorra boss Antonio Leonardi arrested today

Italian police today arrested Antonio Leonardi, one of the most wanted and most dangerous Camorra bosses. He is considered one of the major drug trafficker in Neaples.

Huge rise in social media 'crimes'

This is an area where the process of definition of what is and isnt a "crime" is still taking place. The Chambers case demonstrated that protest can still overturn a stupid decision by a court, but it also demonstrated the power of celebrities, which is itself a disturbing feature. Might be an idea to look at the interim guidelines, linked from this BBC piece.

Police radars to detect suicide bombers and gunmen

What will they really be looking for? UK not prone to random gunmen...The odd samurai sword wielder, yes, we do suffer from...but without tempting fate, weve only had two suicide bomber incidents. Thugs with knoves? yes, I'm all for their detection and arrest. Who is trying to sell the police what and why? [well for profit, obviously, stupid] or is it just Keith Vaz getting his name in the papers again?

French cannabis coops

Cannabis social clubs in France press for legalisation. Article in French. Its been a while since Ive explored the continental press, for which I apologise. All to do with changing laptops and forgetting bookmarks. Dont suppose this will get into the English redtops, so struggle through!

Intense Alienation Can Be an Incubator for Violence

Interesting argument: mass murder more likely in small communities. Just saying...

Review of FBI forensics does not extend to federally trained state, local examiners

How many countries did the FBI train as well as local US forensic examiners? How many of these faults and exaggerations also apply to DNA evidence and analysis?

Alcohol duty fraud: Action needed, say off-licences

Given the level of duty, this really isnt very surprising. The neo-liberals who run the world want low taxes on income, because people will evade high taxes, but dont seem to have worked out that exactly the same thing will happen with alcohol, tobacco and eventually petrol, assuming their argument is correct. Its OK to use high taxation to change behaviour, but not the behaviour of the rich. What happened to logical thought processes?

The 'Ndrangheta: 40 convictions in Lombardy

In the trial following "Operazione Infinito", which has shown the significant presence of the 'Ndrangheta in Lombardy, 40 persons have been convicted.

Attitudes towards security threats uncovered

Research published on how UK public feels about security threats. Apparently theyre not convinced by the threat of international terrorism and the measures being taken by police and government against it.

Russians profit from Britain's offshore secrecy

Guardian also running an investigation into dodging dealings in the UK. Today's involves Russians, just like the Independent's below.

Alexander Perepilichnyy: Supergrass who held key to huge Russian fraud is found dead in Surrey

Independent article on the "Klyuev group", allegedly a group of corrupt officials and underworld figures being investigated for major frauds. Hermitage Capital, a British hedge fund, claim to have been a major victim and the Swiss have been investigating. People keep dying mysteriously...

Far East fakes: The burgeoning underworld of counterfeit goods

Independent has a piece on counterfeit designer goods. Nothing really new in it, but brings various strands together in a single article.

Manager wanted for ex-mafia assets

In Italy a group of business schools and associations launched a postgraduate course to teach how to become good managers of assets that the government has seized from the Mafia.

Camorra banned from Church

Cardinal Sepe, the Archbishop of Naples, have denied Camorra members the right to be also member of the Church. Cardinal Sepe declared that he had ordered his clergy to ban Camorra members -  unless repetent - from the Church, "even if dead".

police spy Mark Kennedy accused of false claims in french case

Mark Kennedy accused of inventing claims about Tarnac group. This case has been going on for four years now. "The coming insurrection" was the text and all sorts of connections were made..but was it all a convenient fantasy for the French Ministry of the Interior...and others. The illegitimate English "national domestic extremism unit" invented by ACPO, with no parliamentary legislation creating it is involved in creating the "evidence". Who will ever know what was going on?

Women and the Camorra

Police arrested 48 person (among them, many women) during an anti-Camorra operation this morning. Investigators underlined the increasing importance of women in many Camorrean clans, where they took over the leading positions of their inmate husbands.

Naples: A city where life is cheap

160 innocent bystanders killed by Camorra in Naples since 1980. Article in the Indpendent gives some insight into criminal careers, structures and rivalries in Northern naples.

Lock Jammers steal cars in a click

telegraph article about a £50 device made in China that can block luxury cars electonic locking system, enabling thieves to open doors and start the ignition.

Policing the EU’s External Borders: A Challenge for the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice? An Analysis of Frontex Joint Operations at the Southern Maritime Border

Paper by Luisa Marin in the Journal of Contemporary European Research

http://www.jcer.net/index.php/jcer/article/view/379?goback=.gde_3844619_member_180002782

State-Mafia negotiations on trial

In a few days the trial (preliminary hearings) concerning the alleged State-Mafia negotiations will start. The Italian Government will join the trial as civil claimant.
http://www.antimafiaduemila.com/2012102639482/primo-piano/trattativa-stato-mafia-il-governo-parte-civile.html

Mysterious thefts scupper EU tobacco crackdown

Something not right here...Why should laptop thefts stop legislation? The connection is not obvious.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/mysterious-thefts-scupper-eu-tobacco-crackdown-8227362.html

Plan for hunting terrorists signals US intends to keep adding names to kill lists

First article in a series of three on counter terrorism policy reprinted from the Washington Post by the Independent. Drone victims will hit 3,000 in the near future.Reads a bit like the Wild West mentality is still alive and well at the highest echelons of US government. What will they do with all this stuff when the last al Qaeda operative has been killed? What do we learn from a study of the end of the Cold War and the redeployment of the spooks and funnies? Its essay question time!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/plan-for-hunting-terrorists-signals-us-intends-to-keep-adding-names-to-kill-lists-8224945.html

CIA veteran Brennan transforms counterterrorism approach

Part 2 of the three article series on contemporary US counter-terrorism. The role of John Brennan in devising strategy and running the system of targeted assassinations. Could this policy be transferred to "organised crime"? Will it be? These are not themes in the article, but once youve declared organised crime to be a national security issue, it's fairly easy to do.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cia-veteran-brennan-transforms-counterterrorism-approach-8225627.html

Remote US base at core of secret operations

Third in a series originally published in the Washington Post describing a US drone base in Djibouti

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/remote-us-base-at-core-of-secret-operations-8227588.html

UNODC's new crime fighting tool turns lessons of the past into policies for the future

Unfortunately I cant find a direct link to the digest. Anyone spotted it?

http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2012/October/unodcs-new-crime-fighting-tool-turns-lessons-of-the-past-into-policies-for-the-future.html

Human trafficking to UK 'rising'

New Government report:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19984615

Anti-Slavery Day: One victim of child sex trafficking is one too many

Article from the Independent discussing why there are so few convictions for trafficking in the UK. Suggests that there is a prioritisation of cutting immigration, so victims tend to be treated as a target for deportation rather than the victim of a crime. In the case of children, the word of an adult is always preferred, as in the emerging controversy over allegations about Jimmy Savile. Finally the legal framework is not fit for purpose.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/antislavery-day-one-victim-of-child-sex-trafficking-is-one-too-many-8215390.html

The assistant mayor, the Swiss bank accounts and the €350,000 of Moroccan drugs money

Interesting little story about money laundering. Cannabis dealers swapping drug profits for money that tax evaders in France wished to repatriate from Swiss bank accounts. This one will run and run because it involves a prominent Green politician.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/the-assistant--mayor-the-swiss-bank-accounts-and-the-350000-of-moroccan-drugs-money-8210969.html

Reggio Calabria municipality dissolved for mafia infiltration

The municipality of Reggio Calabria has been finally dissolved for mafia infiltration ('Ndrangheta). This is the first time a county seat is dissolved for this reason.
http://www.corriere.it/cronache/12_ottobre_09/reggio-calabria-sciolto_417c842c-1237-11e2-919a-606647d2c25a.shtml

Undercover anti-terror operation wins national award

Undercover officers gather evidence to convict extremists recruiting individuals with mental problems for operations against British troops in Afghanistan

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/9586867/Undercover-anti-terror-operation-wins-national-award.html

FBI raids suspected hi-tech front company run by 'Russian agent'

Prosecutors in New York and FBI open case alleging high tech products being smuggled to Russia
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/fbi-raids-suspected-hitech-front-company-run-by-russian-agent-8196616.html

Gardaí target Real IRA bomb maker

Interesting piece on feud between organised crime groups and real IRA in Dublin. Pipe bombs have been used.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1004/breaking15.html

Fugitive mafia boss arrested in Venezuela

Salvatore Bonomolo, a fugitive mafia boss belonging to the Porta Nuova "mandamento" in Palermo, was arrested on Venezuela's Margarita Island during a joint operation carried out by the Interpol, Italian and Venezuelan police forces. He was on the run since 2007, but he never interrupted his contacts with Sicily.

link

Where the Mob Keeps the Money

by Roberto Saviano
THE global financial crisis has been a blessing for organized crime. A series of recent scandals have exposed the connection between some of the biggest global banks and the seamy underworld of mobsters, smugglers, drug traffickers and arms dealers.


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/opinion/sunday/where-the-mob-keeps-its-money.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

One person killed and another one injured during a shooting at Terracina

One person has been killed and another one injured during a shooting at Terracina, a beach resort near Rome. The victim is Gaetano Marino, member of a Camorrean clan.
link

Crime rates rises in Italy

According to the crime statistics relesed today by the Italian Ministry of Interior, in 2012 crime rates in Italy increased of 5.4 percent. The economic crisis and the recession are considered the main causes.
 http://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2012/08/20/news/reati_in_aumento_del_5_4_boom_di_furti_nelle_abitazioni-41221630/

India targets the traffickers who sell children into slavery

Depressing story of poverty and parental complicity in the trafficking business

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/04/india-traffickers-sell-children-slavery

Peru fears new generation will follow Shining Path's road to violence

Rather poor article attacking a new Peruvian leftist group called Movadef. Time to keep an eye on Peru again.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/25/peru-fears-shining-path-youth-violence

U.S. Vulnerabilities to Money Laundering, Drugs, and Terrorist Financing: HSBC Case History

Links to various testimony on HSBC, being used as a case study as to the consequences of careless activity with regard to criminal and terrorist money laundering for the USA

http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/investigations/hearings/us-vulnerabilities-to-money-laundering-drugs-and-terrorist-financing-hsbc-case-history

Mozzarella and Camorra

Giuseppe Mandara - the head of one of the biggest mozzarella makers in Italy and a major exporter of buffalo mozzarella - has been arrested and assets for 100 million euro have been seized. It seems that the Mandara group was controlled by the Casalesi clan.

http://corrieredelmezzogiorno.corriere.it/napoli/notizie/cronaca/2012/17-luglio-2012/mozzarella-dop-casalesi-arrestato-mandara-maxi-sequestro-100-milioni-2011040607215.shtml

Over 800 held after police break child-trafficking ring

Astonishing figures for child trafficking in China and a quick summary of the different reasons for it

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/over-800-held-after-police-break-childtrafficking-ring-7920588.html

FBI says Gangs: the new ‘white collar' criminal

BARSTOW • White collar thefts are the crime of choice for local gangs and organized criminals — in line with a national trend where perps opt for easier means of illegal gain, according to local and national law enforcement.


FBI reports say many gangs are moving away from traditional crimes, such as drug and weapons trafficking, and are choosing fraud and identity theft instead.


http://www.desertdispatch.com/news/new-13230-white-barstow.html

Mafia assets seized in Lombardy and Sardinia

Agents of the Guardia di Finanza confiscated Mafia assets for millions of euro in Milan and in Sardinia.
 http://milano.repubblica.it/cronaca/2012/07/05/news/le_mani_della_mafia_sui_locali_del_centro_anche_il_samarani_caf_sotto_sequestro-38557719/?ref=HREC2-6

Organized crime and the Strait of Messina bridge

An inquiry on criminal infiltration in the works of the bridge over the Strait of Messina.

http://inchieste.repubblica.it/it/repubblica/rep-it/2012/06/15/news/le_infiltrazioni_del_ponte-37270871/

Italy convicts local Mafia in Australia

THREE Mafia figures living freely in Australia and labelled "extremely dangerous" by Italian authorities have been sentenced in absentia to long jail terms for international drug trafficking.
The Saturday Age can reveal that Australian men Nicola Ciconte, Vincenzo Medici and Michael Calleja have been convicted and sentenced in Italy for their role in a plot to smuggle up to 500 kilograms of cocaine into Australia.


Read more:  http://www.smh.com.au/national/italy-convicts-local-mafia-20120615-20fok.html#ixzz1yF88aLM3

How a Mexican drug cartel makes its billions

Long article on Sinaola cartel from New York Times. Havent had time to read it yet!

http://tinyurl.com/7369qwr 
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/magazine/how-a-mexican-drug-cartel-makes-its-billions.html?_r=2

The Minister of Justice in 1993 and 1994 is now investigated for the negotiations between the State and the Mafia

Giovanni Conso, a former Italian Justice Minister, has been accused of having provided false information to the public prosecutor concerning the cancelation of the "carcere duro"(an exceptional regime that can be used according to Italian law for people imprisoned for particular serious crimes) for more than 300 mafiosi.

http://www.corriere.it/cronache/12_giugno_13/trattativa-stato-mafia-indagato-conso_40e49a16-b569-11e1-817c-8346743ab819.shtml

Mexican drug cartel 'laundered money through US horse breeding'

looks like someone found the Guardian's crime editor at last! three articles on the same day! S/he will probably vanish for several months again now.
Again, the story links sport and organised crime, in this case money laundering for drug cartels through a horse breeding business. Zetas cartel involvement alleged.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/13/mexican-drug-cartel-horse-breeding

China jails former football bosses in match-fixing crackdown

The consequences of modernisation?
More importantly, the demands from the fans for a clean game are interesting and are linked to China's surprising absence from the world football scene.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/13/china-jails-football-bosses

Italian police arrest leftwing terror suspects

Arrests in Italy, Germany and switzerland. presumably more will follow when the trials start

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/13/italian-police-arrest-terror-suspects

Multimillion-pound cyberfraud gang jailed for selling identity theft kits

Documentation plus a training package to help "students" commit identity theft and fraud


http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jun/09/fraud-gang-jailed-identity-theft

Camorra: 47 arrested during a major police operation in Italy

A major operation has led to the arrest of dozens of "camorristi" linked to the Mallardo's clan and to the seizure of significant assets in six different Italian regions (Campania, Lazio, Emilia Romagna, Abruzzo, Calabria and Lombardia).

http://napoli.repubblica.it/cronaca/2012/06/06/news/arresti_camorra_mallardo-36627563/

Obama Order Sped Up Wave of Cyberattacks Against Iran

New York Times article: Obama is Supeman. Created cyberweapons and pointed them at Iran...Not the story your blogger was given a while back, but there we go. There's an election to be won, so Obama has nipped into a phone booth and changed costumes. He unleashed Stuxnet...why do I find myself thinking about Al Gore and the Internet?

http://tinyurl.com/cnu2gk7

Flame: Massive cyber-attack discovered, researchers say

Russian security company, Kaspersky Labs exposes Flame. Malware that collects sensitive information. Both Israel and Iran targetted.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18238326

Bomb attack outside a school in Brindisi (Apulia)

The bomb attack has killed a 16 years old girl and injured several persons. Mayor blames organized crime for this unprecedented attack.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/9276635/Bomb-attack-outside-Italian-school-kills-teenage-girl-and-wounds-seven.html (en)

http://www.corriere.it/cronache/12_maggio_19/brindisi-esplode-ordigno-scuola-feriti_3c11fef0-a17f-11e1-8681-fb83092733eb.shtml (ita)

Italian laundry

How Mafia-style groups use the gambling market for money laundering

http://www.corriere.it/inchieste/italian-laundry/57dd801c-594c-11e1-b00f-503ee71194ec.shtml

Derry: fear and republican vigilantes stalk new city of culture

Guardian article on the activities of post-IRA organisation RAAD Republican Action Against Drugs in Derry City. Vigilantism running amok.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/may/13/republican-vigilante-campaign-violence-derry

U.S. May Scrap Costly Efforts to Train Iraqi Police

Piece from the New York Times suggesting that the State Department's programme to train the Iraqi police was poorly conceived, poorly planned and is about to be abandoned


http://tinyurl.com/cledaa6

Special Report - U.S. documents allege HSBC money-laundering lapses

fascinating piece on some big trouble coming down the line for HSBC...Settlement could prove expensive!

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/05/03/uk-hsbcusa-probes-idUKBRE8420G120120503

Web War II: what a future cyberwar will look like

Cut and paste piece from the BBC magazine. 3 part documentary to be broadcast on BBC World Service and then available on iplayer. Probably worth downloading, especially f they get a debate going between those who could be accused of exaggerating the threat for business purposes and those who are more balanced and analytical.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17868789

Thein Sein's drug problem

Useful update on narcotics production in Burma. Warlords, militias, ethnic groups, corrupt Army commanders, changing markets. A reminder that not so long ago, Burma was the world's biggest opium producer.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/ND27Ae01.html

EU Anti Mafia Committee

A new committee of MEPs has been given one year to investigate organised crime, corruption and money laundering in the European Union, and to come up with fresh proposals to tackle the issue.


Anti Mafia Committee Set Up by European Parliament

Europol Welcomes anti-mafia committee

Sonia Alfano (ALDE, IT) was elected chair of the recently established special committee on organised crime, corruption and money laundering, during its first meeting on Tuesday in Strasbourg. Committee members also elected 4 vice-chairs and nominated Salvatore Iacolino (EPP, IT) as rapporteur.

First meeting of the special committee on organised crime 

Credit card 'info for sale' websites closed in global raids

and about time too! But they will just defect to the Dark or deep web.
Particularly idiotic remark from SOCA cybercrime head: "I'd rather arrest 10 code writers than 1,000 front-end fraudsters," 
It's the organisers, stupid! Code writers are tools just like the front-enders

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17851257

Camorra member arrested in London

Italian police - together with Interpol, the Serious Organized Crime Agency and Scotland Yard - arrested a Camorra (the Naples-based crime syndicate) member yesterday. Gianfranco Techegnè had been on the run for 30 years.

http://www.antimafiaduemila.com/2012042636730/mafia-eventi-campania/camorra-latitante-da-circa-30-anni-arrestato-a-londra.html

EU Terrorism situation and trend report from Europol

Blogger has changed its format and at the moment none of your bloggers can work out how to link the post title to the URL, so here it is:
https://www.europol.europa.eu/sites/default/files/publications/europoltsat.pdf
If anyomne knows how to reinstate the previous system, please let us know

Rocco Trimboli, a top 'Ndrangheta fugitive, has been arrested

Rocco Trimboli, who was on the run since 2010, was arrested today near Reggio Calabria. He had been convicted for drug trafficking and mafia association. Trimboli is also considered a key person in the  increasing role of the 'Ndrangheta in northern Italy.



http://www.corriere.it/cronache/12_aprile_24/arrestato-latitante-tromboli-macri_6be59aec-8dde-11e1-839c-11a4cf6ed581.shtml

Coast Guard stops 30th Drug Submarine

Coast Guard stops 30th drug submarine

Insecurity and failed states: the problems of prohibition

Former senior figure in MI6 calls for a different approach to illegal drugs.

The arrival of Riina Jr in Padua is causing protests

Last week Riina Jr, the son of Cosa Nostra boss Toto' Riina, has been tranferred from special surveillance in Corleone - where he lived after imprisonment for assication with organized crime  - to Padua, where he started to work as a volunteer for a NPO. The arrival of Riina Jr had been delayed due to numerous protests, particularly from members of the Northern League. The president of the Province of Padua has just announced appeal to the Court to avoid his presence in the northern city.
 http://www.gazzettino.it/articolo.php?id=191583&sez=NORDEST

30th Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime

The 30th Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime will take place at Jesus College, Cambridge, UK, from Sunday 2nd September through Sunday 9th September 2012.

The title of The Symposium is Economic Crime - Surviving the Fall - Myths and Realities.

the programme is available from the website linked from the title of this post.

Traditional Organized Crime in the Modern World

Despite strenuous efforts from local, national, and international law enforcement, organized crime continues to thrive and prosper—even centuries-old crime outfits are surviving the global forces of mass migration and multinational business and finance. From traditional gangland enterprises such as narcotics, gambling, and prostitution, the world’s mafias have moved into new sources of illegal income, including high-tech arms smuggling, money laundering, and identity fraud. Traditional Crime in the Modern World tracks these organizations—the Italian and Mexican mafias, Columbian drug cartels, Chinese triads, and others—across five continents as they adapt to change, and assesses their prospects in the short and long term. World events such as the collapse of the Soviet Union and the 9/11 terror attacks are discussed in the context of contributing to emerging markets for illicit goods and services, and to evolving partnerships among criminal entities. This timely volume: • Provides a comprehensive overview of how mafia-like structures function today. • Analyzes in depth national crime situations with global implications. • Examines the migration of organized crime groups and their operations in their new countries. • Gauges the influence of digital and other technologies on organized crime. • Where applicable, notes the links between organized crime and national political institutions. • Describes the impact of the global financial crisis on crime organizations. Concise, compelling, and deeply documented, Traditional Crime in the Modern World is an eye-opening resource for researchers in Criminology and Criminal Justice, particularly with an interest in organized crime and trafficking, as well as related topics of Demography, Political Science, and International Relations.

Greece: Oil Smuggling Helps Define the 'Parliamentary Mafiocracy'

In an interview with Oilprice.com, Dr. Panos Kostakos, a Greek political analyst and expert in organized crime and terrorism, reminds us that “Greece is the birthplace of democracy, but the tragedy is that the current political system is a Parliamentary Mafiocracy. We should always keep that in mind when discussing issues of law and order and justice.”


http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Greece-Oil-Smuggling-Helps-Define-the-Parliamentary-Mafiocracy.html 

£3m cannabis seized and 130 farms raided in Merseyside Police crackdown on drug

Meanwhile...back in Liverpool 5,500 cannabis plants seized in an attack on stoned Smurfs...

Full text of the judgement in the case of Babar Ahmed et al.

Contains a review of all the arguments from UK Courts and the misgivings of judges en route. Certainly not a decision taken in haste! Also reviews relevant domestic and international law. basic issues seem to be: length of sentence and conditions at ADX Florence.

Crime on a budget: Estonian gang’s jewel raids by budget flight

The flying Estonians! A real case of criminals taking advantage of the free movement of people to commit crime. Jewellery thefts.

Who will police the police?

Desultory piece on the search for elected Chief Constables [oops, sorry Crime and policing commissioners or something]: celebrities, superannuated cops and politicians...Bit of a rag bag really.

Burglaries rise sharply as criminals target Dublin's commuter counties

An interesting national perspective on patterns of burglary across Ireland.

Italian National Anti-Mafia Directorate lacks resources

http://www.linkiesta.it/antimafia-dia
The financing for the Italian Anti-Mafia Directorate has been further decreased this year, despite its successes in recovering assets from organized crime.

Hate crime, cyber security and the experience of crime among children: Findings from the 2010/11 British Crime Survey Supplementary Volume 3 to Crime

Latest Home Office Statistical Bulletin

Toxic Europe: trafficking of waste

Urban, nuclear and electronic. The trafficking of waste has long become a new very profitable business for organised crime syndicates. “Toxic Europe” analyses the phenomenon from a transnational point of view. Italy, Belgium and Romania: three examples to show the European-scope of the problem and to describe the process of waste production, waste managing and how it can turn into waste trafficking and illegal disposal. Contrarily to waste production, which is a simple process, waste treatment is expensive and complex, hence a new type of crime-people who make waste "disappear" for a low cost stepped in.




Toxic Europe

A justice collaborator talks about the 'Ndrangheta

Antonino Belnome, former boss of a 'Ndrangheta group, has witnessed during a trial in Milan, revealing some dynamics of the 'Ndrangheta in Lombardy.

Illegal logging big business for organised gangs, World Bank reports

A new World Bank report released shows how countries can effectively fight illegal logging through the criminal justice system, punish organised crime, and trace and confiscate illegal logging profits.

What would Wilson tell Mexico?

I'm not sure that Wilson actually said what this guy imputes to him, but I must admit that our University Library never had any Wilson on its shelves. Must go have another look at him.

US Imposes Sanctions On Japan’s Yakuza Crime Syndicate – OpEd

On Friday, President Obama identified the Japanese crime gang Yakuza as a significant Transnational Criminal Organization as defined in his Executive Order 13581 (Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations) of July 24, 2011. and charged the Treasury Department with pursuing additional sanctions against their members and supporters, according to a Treasury Department report.

Transnational criminals are now more entrepreneurial and sophisticated, and their growing infiltration of licit commerce and economic activity fundamentally threatens the free markets and financial systems that are critical to the stability and efficiency of the global economy, a law enforcement executive who requested anonymity said on Saturday.

Nowhere to turn: Britain's sex slaves

For women trafficked to the UK and forced into prostitution, escape from their captors is no guaranteee of a happy ending.

The Drug Data Warehouse: Linking data on drug misusers and drug-misusing offenders

Havent had time to read it in detail, but there will presumably be lots of studies like these coming out as databases become increasingly linked.

U.S. accelerating cyberweapon research

Article from Washington Post is actually a piece on problems. Lead time to develop specific attacks is about a year, which is too long...Also looking at how to attack stuff not connected to the Internet, particularly via wireless.

Camorra: clan-enterpreneurs deals, 47 arrests in Naples

Naples - The Tax Police is taking 60 provisional measures. The following measures (22 in jail, 25 under home arrests and 13 bans from living in the province) have been taken against a national enterprise, professionals and public employees working in judicial offices in the province of Naples, and members of the Fabbrocino clan. Among the people under arrest, there are also 16 tax court judges. Property has been seized amounting to one billion euros, including current accounts, company shares, financial transactions, land plots, estates and automobiles. . .
(http://www.agi.it/english-version/italy/elenco-notizie/201203190821-cro-ren1006-camorra_clan_enterpreneurs_deals_47_arrests_in_naples)


In Italian: 

Riciclaggio,megablitz della Finanza
coinvolti 16 giudici tributari

http://napoli.repubblica.it/cronaca/2012/03/19/news/megablitz_della_finanza_sssssssssss-31794833/ 

Here the Financial time link

Five Merseyside men who ran gun and grenade attack campaign against underworld rivals jailed for life

More Liverpudlian joy from the courts. Violence is a service for hire?

EU set up special committee on organised crime

The European Parliament has joined the fight against organised crime, corruption and money laundering by creating a special committee, which has one year to investigate the infiltration of the EU’s legal economy, public administration and financial systems by organised crime, including mafias, and propose ways to fight it.

An evidence assessment of the routes of human trafficking into the UK

Includes a literature review and is therefore gold!

prison overcrowding in Italy

Italy has a serious problem with prison overcrowding. Data on suicides and other self-harming behaviours occurring in Italian prisons are worrying. Foreign inmates are a big percentage of prison population, even if often for trivial offences or awaiting trial. This inquiry shows the (terrific) sitaution in the prison of Canton Monbello (Lombardy).

Olympics 2012 security: welcome to lockdown London

Nice piece on the security industry and their agenda for the modern city...or is it about the Olympics? Or just London? Are they all Judge Dredd reading geeks?

Mafia money laundering in Northern Italy

Italy's Anti-Mafia Directorate has seized assets worth 20 million euros linked to Giovanni Puma, a Sicilan man connected with the Mafia. Investigations have shown the involvement of tens of societies operating both in Italy (the article focuses on a society in Padua) and abroad.

Merseyside detectives launch cannabis crackdown as 70,000 plants seized and 1,200 arrests made

Ah. Turns out that the figures are for the last three years. Detectives claim that local organised crime groups have pushed aside far eastern groups and local amateurs to take profits to fund their own activities.

December 2011 issue of newsletter is out

Review of the Summer School and several excellent articles.

July 7 bomber's widow 'on the run' over links with terrorist cell

Alleged details of British citizens connected to al Shaabab being sought in Kenya. Original story named woman as Natalie Faye Webb, but this appears to have been a case of identity theft. Investigators now say she is the widow of one of the July 7th bombers. Lots of details in this piece.

Dozens of suspected Anonymous hackers arrested in worldwide sweep

Interpol claims to have coordinated the arrests in Spain and Latin America.

UN says Liverpool has drug-related 'no-go areas' like those in Brazilian favelas

Actually it wasnt just Liverpool that the UN was talking about. Some years ago there was an article in the Sunday Times that identified 40 "no-go" areas in the UK...Definitionally speaking, it meant places where the police only go when it's raining hard! Still, this can be part of my continuing focus on my home city.

Mexico's Security Initiatives Pass the 'Synthesis Test

News of growing violence and murder in Mexico was callously thrust upon an open world audience of information curiosity back in 2005, when narcoterrorism raised its sinister head on the US border with Mexico.

In what was essentially to become a war against drug gangs and rivals, the death toll that includes Mexican governing officials, police and military, media professionals, and other innocents would incredibly rise to over 50,000 deaths by 2012.

Georgia: Ways to Avoid Cyber Attacks

The FINANCIAL -- The computerization of Georgian society is resulting in an inevitable increase of cyber crime in the country. Specialists predict that there will be a growth of organized crime involved in cybercrime in the near future.



Cyber criminals can mislead consumers and carry out attacks via social networks. The most widespread methods are by creating false profiles of acquaintances and being added as a friend so as to get additional info, as well as sharing false, urgent information to mislead users and infect them with viruses.

People of Interest

Organised crime "routinely jamming GPS"

Not certain whether this is a conference paper predicting how jammers could be used or reporting research on how they actually are used.

Scotland: Criminal gangs look to renewables boom to launder millions

ORGANISED criminal gangs in Scotland are eyeing the renewables industry, including windfarms, as a potential way of laundering money, police have said.

The Scottish Crime and Drugs Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) is particularly wary after gangs targeted similar projects abroad.
The agency believes criminals may attempt to use legitimate businesses as a front so they are able to secure large grants that are available in what is a growing industry.

Cosa Nostra apartment seized in Padua

Assets for 800,000 euro and in particular an apartment belonging to the Muncivì family - linked to Cosa Nostra - has been seized in Padova (Northeast Italy). This is considered another evidence of the presence of the Mafia in the Veneto region.

Is the anti-mafia certificate really useful?

A provocative suggestion made by Piero Grasso - the national anti-mafia prosecutor - is to change the certificate of non-involvement in organised crime into a sort of "white-list" of good-behaving enterprises. The presence of the anti-mafia certificate currently influences the issuance of licences by the Public Administration and the very possibility of entering into contracts with the Public Administration, but this system can be simply eluded by the use of figureheads.

South Africa's capital of organised crime

Cape Town's image as South Africa's crime-free paradise is being tainted by international underworld figures who flock to the city to ply their dubious trade.

In recent weeks, Serbian fugitive Dobrosav Gavric, Russian Igor Russol and Moroccan Houssain Ait Taleb have made appearances in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court.

They have all been branded by police as underworld figures with links to organised crime.

Organized crime in West Africa the focus of talks between UN envoy, Interpol

13 February 2012 – Transnational organized crime in West Africa, including illicit drug trafficking and the proliferation of illegal arms, as well as maritime piracy, dominated discussions today between a senior United Nations envoy and the head of the international police organization, Interpol.

Anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing across the globe: A comparative study of regulatory action

and a third related Report. I havent had time to read the three yet, but I certainly will!

Trade-based money laundering: Risks and regulatory responses

Another handy AIC report

Money laundering and terrorism financing risks to Australian non-profit organisations

AIC Report. Any study of risk involves transferrable ideas and modes of analysis

Call for papers

Invitation to contribute to a special issue on ?Women and Transnational Crime? (Journal: Trends in Organized Crime)
Special Issue Editors: Dr. Jana Arsovska, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Until recent years, the criminality of women had a long history of neglect. Criminology has treated women?s role in crime with a large measure of indifference. Women have been misrepresented in conventional criminological literature, leading to the development of feminists? critique of the accumulated wisdom about female offenders. Scholars have argued that theories of criminality developed by and validated on men had limited relevance for explaining women?s crime and that criminologists had little understanding of the social worlds of women. Throughout the years, feminist scholars have succeeded in ?gendering criminology?. Feminist approaches have tended to unmask the unique experiences that shape women?s criminal involvement and to understand the dynamic relationships between gender and crime.

The topic of this special issue is ?Women and Transnational Crime?. This issue will discuss current trends and developments in the field of transnational crime with focus on the role of women in committing cross-border activities. The editors would like to receive contributions on the role, presence, and activities of women in transnational criminal activities across the globe. By transnational crime we refer to acts that span national borders, violating the laws of more countries. The UN provides a list of eighteen crime categories that are considered transnational. These, among others, include money laundering, terrorism, theft of art and cultural objects, theft of intellectual property, illicit arms trafficking, airplane hijacking, sea piracy, insurance fraud, computer crime, environmental crime, trafficking in persons, corruption, drug trafficking, etc.

This Special Issue will study women's involvement in transnational crime from both practical and theoretical perspectives. Some of the suggested sub-topic for this Special Issue are: (1) the extent to which women with different backgrounds (ethnic, cultural, economic, educational, etc.) are involved in various transnational criminal activities; (2) the relation between women, social mobility, and transnational crime; (3) the role of women in transnational criminal networks (functional roles, peripheral actors, central players; recruiters, pimps/madams, curriers, victims-deceivers, consultants, debt-collectors, organizers, leaders, etc.); (4) the position of the woman in the criminal networks in the country of origin vs. the position of the women abroad (i.e., do they have more power abroad?); (5) the relation between male and females in the transnational networks (Are male and female offenders equally capable of committing transnational crime activities?); (6) the link between gender power, patriarchy, women subordination, and female offending (i.e., how women navigate gender-stratified environments, and how they accommodate and adapt to gender inequality in their commission of organized crime?). These are topics of growing importance to both practitioners and academics, and there has been limited scientific research done in this field. Therefore we encourage everyone who is interested in these issues to send us an abstract (250-400 words) and a paper topic latest by March 1, 2012.

Abstracts should be submitted latest by March 1, 2012. The final papers should be submitted by September 15, 2012. The special issue is scheduled to come out in February/March 2013.

Send your abstracts to:
Dr. Jana Arsovska, John Jay College of Criminal Justice [jarsovska@jjay.cuny.edu]

Massive methamphetamine seizure in Mexico

15 tonnes seized in Jalisco, near Guadalajara. Sinaloa cartel making it and smuggling it into the US.

Nearly 160 held as Met police crack down on gangs

Yesterday, "organised crime". Today "gangs". Tomorrow, sho knows?

figures given for how many gangs there are in London [250, 4,800 individuals] and how many are "high harm" [eh? wazzat?] [62]

Hogan Howe keeps his political master and mistress happy

Netherlands National drug Monitor 2010

English language text of the Annual Report. The National Drug Monitor (NDM), which has been drawn up since 1999 by the Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction [Trimbos-instituut] in collaboration with the WODC, is a descriptive report that provides an annual overview of substance use (drugs, alcohol and tobacco) and, since 2002, of recorded drug-related criminality and the criminal law response.
I'm not sure where the link to it is!

Merseyside Police chief constable Jon Murphy declares war on Liverpool gangsters

More on organised crime in Liverpool. The third page gives us a summary of the story so far

Gang-Busting Cop is one for the History Books in China

the story of a story. Mafia-busting in China..and political protection for mafias. Article hung up on the fact there may be a film

Camorra imposes a curfew in Scampia

Camorra has imposed a sort of curfew in the neapolitan suburb of Scampia. Camorra wants to avoid new murders related to drug trafficking because those would attract the attention of media and politicians. However, local population is trying to react with a spontaneous movement ("OccupyScampia") originated through social networks.

interactive map of the drug war in mexico

From the blog of Diego Valle

Extreme close-up: German film brings the spread of neo-Nazi gangs into focus

background to the recent discovery of an unpleasant neo-Nazi "terrorist" group in Germany. Partly reviews a film, partly discusses realities in former East Germany. Maybe Merkel has stuff nearer home to sort out, as well as Greece?

Mexico's drug war has brought terrifying violence to the streets and taken a dreadful toll of lives

Cautionary tale for West Africa as Kofi Annan calls for Western intervention [see previous post]. "Mexico's drug war is inextricably linked to the democratic transition". Extract from Ioao Grillo's book "El Narco: the Bloody Rise of Mexican drug cartels.

Save West Africa from the drugs barons

Article in Observer by Kofi Annan. 3 dangers: corruption; Drug gangs linking with existing organised crime and even terrorists; health of locals. To the point.

Fascination with the 'Dutch godfather'

Rare piece in English discussing at least one player in Dutch organised crime.

Five arrested in Milan during a police operation against the 'Ndrangheta

Five men - three of which corrupted members of the Finance Guards - were arrested in Milan during a police operation coordinated by the prosecutor Ilda Boccassini.

New date for Rome conference

CALL FOR PAPERS

Transnational Organized Crime: Italian Connections

Bilingual Conference (English and Italian)

The American University of Rome
Department of International Relations

23-24 November, 2012


Keynote Speakers:

Professor Nando Dalla Chiesa, University of Milan

Professor Diego Gambetta, European University Institute


The American University of Rome's Department of International Relations will be hosting a two-day international conference focusing on Italy’s current roles within transnational organized crime networks and the on-going attempts to weaken these through legislation, enforcement and grassroots activism.

The conference aims to provide a forum for academics, policymakers and operators in the field to discuss issues of common concern. There is a constant need both to examine the evolving social contexts within which organized crime operates and to evaluate the political, economic and social costs of the globalization of this phenomenon in a country which has a long history of powerful mafias with their own international ramifications. There is a large amount of research on Italy’s crime groups and growing scholarship on the transnational dimensions of the phenomenon. At the same time, political and law enforcement agencies which have to deal with the issues directly produce operational and policymaking material. The opportunities for the different fields to learn about the others and discuss issues and solutions are relatively rare; this initiative seeks to fill this gap and encourage a dialogue.

We particularly invite contributions that relate to one or more of the following themes and which focus on the international dimensions. Papers should present original research and analysis.

• Debates on defining organized crime in Italy
• Methodologies for studying TOC and its effects
• Globalization and ‘liquidity’ of Italian mafia operations
• Transplantation of foreign groups in Italy
• Political connections, clientelism and corruption
• Ties to terrorism
• Money laundering and the legal economy
• ‘Gray’ economies
• Human smuggling and trafficking through and to Italy
• Art crime, fashion and culture industries
• Waste removal and disposal
• Environmental crimes and impacts
• Drugs routes and markets
• Fakes and contraband
• Arms trafficking
• Legal frameworks, national and international
• Current policy approaches
• Italy’s judicial system
• Enforcement agencies, policing and surveillance
• Civil society responses
• The ‘anti-mafia’ economy

The conference will be held in English and Italian.
We hope to publish selected papers and are currently seeking a publisher.

Proposals (c. 300 words and a short biographical note) are invited from both established and unpublished scholars and practitioners and should be sent to Isabella Clough Marinaro and James Walston at:

TOC@aur.edu

Deadline for proposals: 23 April, 2012. We will try to reply by 23 May, 2012.

Registration Fee: 40 Euro
Students: 10 Euro
AUR students Free

(Procedures for paying registration fees will be announced when we circulate the draft program.)

Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Black Market But Were Afraid To Ask

The shadow economy from the point of view of "Business Insider"

After 19 years, Asil Nadir's day in court arrives in £150m fraud saga

he will probably be found not guilty. Others accused already have been.

Kazakhstan stirs terror nests

JaK - the Army of the Caliphate. A nascent terrorist group in Kazakhstan.

New battle lines drawn in cyberspace

Is there such a thing as cybercrime? or is it simply used to justify government censorship. A discussion of Crimes of the Cyberpowerful in the Asia Times.

assets for 25 million of euros seized from a fugitive boss of Cosa Nostra

Matteo Messina Denaro, considered one of the most wanted criminals in the world, is one of the leaders of Cosa Nostra and is on the run since 1993. Police seized assets for 25 million of euros during an operation started from an investigation concerning Antonio d'Alì, an italian politician (under-secetary od the Minister of the Interior during the previous government).

LAPD's science fiction solution to real crime

More algorithms! Pretending to make crime prevention "scientific"!

£10m Wirral drugs gang led by Matthew ‘Matty’ Maguire jailed after police swoop Read More http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news//t

Another Mersyside drugs business processed by the courts. This time from "over the water" in the Wirral.

Mafia is Italy's Biggest Business

It would be good to find the report. This summary article tells us very little we didnt already know.

"Così fan tutti". The 'Ndrangheta in Lombardy

An interesting inquiry on the 'Ndrangheta in Lombardy

CALL FOR PAPERS Transnational Organized Crime: Italian Connections

CHANGE OF DATE FOR ROME MARCH 2012

CALL FOR PAPERS

Transnational Organized Crime: Italian Connections

Bilingual Conference (English and Italian)

The American University of Rome
Department of International Relations

23-24March, 2012

Keynote Speakers:

Professor Nando Dalla Chiesa, University of Milan

Professor Diego Gambetta, European University Institute

The American University of Rome's Department of International Relations will be hosting a two-day international conference focusing on Italy’s current roles within transnational organized crime networks and the on-going attempts to weaken these through legislation, enforcement and grassroots activism.

The conference aims to provide a forum for academics, policymakers and operators in the field to discuss issues of common concern. There is a constant need both to examine the evolving social contexts within which organized crime operates and to evaluate the political, economic and social costs of the globalization of this phenomenon in a country which has a long history of powerful mafias with their own international ramifications. There is a large amount of research on Italy’s crime groups and growing scholarship on the transnational dimensions of the phenomenon. At the same time, political and law enforcement agencies which have to deal with the issues directly produce operational and policymaking material. The opportunities for the different fields to learn about the others and discuss issues and solutions are relatively rare; this initiative seeks to fill this gap and encourage a dialogue.

We particularly invite contributions that relate to one or more of the following themes and which focus on the international dimensions. Papers should present original research and analysis.

Debates on defining organized crime in Italy
Methodologies for studying TOC and its effects
Globalization and ‘liquidity’ of Italian mafia operations
Transplantation of foreign groups in Italy
Political connections, clientelism and corruption
Ties to terrorism
Money laundering and the legal economy
‘Gray’ economies
Human smuggling and trafficking through and to Italy
Art crime, fashion and culture industries
Waste removal and disposal
Environmental crimes and impacts
Drugs routes and markets
Fakes and contraband
Arms trafficking
Legal frameworks, national and international
Current policy approaches
Italy’s judicial system
Enforcement agencies, policing and surveillance
Civil society responses
The ‘anti-mafia’ economy

The conference will be held in English and Italian.
We hope to publish selected papers and are currently seeking a publisher.

Proposals (c. 300 words and a short biographical note) are invited from both established and unpublished scholars and practitioners and should be sent to Isabella Clough Marinaro and James Walston at:

TOC@aur.edu

Deadline for proposals: 23 April, 2012. We will try to reply by 23 May, 2012.

Registration Fee: 40 Euro
Students: 10 Euro
AUR students Free

(Procedures for paying registration fees will be announced when circulate the draft program.)

Nigeria Christians hit by fresh Islamist attacks

More on Boko Haram, which article says means "Western education is forbidden". Its attacks seem to be spreading.

Yakuza gangs face fight for survival as Japan cracks down on organised crime

New laws don't seem to be aimed at Yakuza but at everybody else! Yakuza themselves are still not illegal. Interesting article on the state of play in Japanese organised crime.

Police station thefts 'astonishing'

I wonder if part of the problem is the privatisation or civilianisation of security. Who is responsible for the security of police premises?

China's tomb raiders laying waste to thousands of years of history

So who's buying the looted artefacts? "Wealthy collectors"...would that be those evil bankers yet again? Another reason for taxing them properly.

Militants create haven in southern Yemen

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula take advantage of the disorder in Yemen to take over most of Abyan province and parts of neighbouring provinces. Ansar al sharia is their present nom de guerre.