NCJ Number
167107
Date Published
1997
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Based on a literature review and documents, this paper defines and describes Russian organized crime, the offenders involved in it, its activities, and the possibilities for prevention.
Abstract
Organized crime is defined as consisting of "organizations (societies) created for criminal activity." The foundation of Russian organized crime lies in the shadow economy and underworld traditions of the Soviet era. The underworld traditions in Russia have lasted up to the present, due in large part to the large number of inmates who have helped in socializing new members into criminal subcultures. During the mid-1990's Russian organized crime has begun to resemble the American and Italian Mafia. Profits have been laundered through investment in real estate, securities, and business. The forms of organized crime that pose the greatest threat to the stability of the transformation in Russia are the illegal markets in weapons and military technology, the illegal export of raw materials, money laundering, tax evasion, offenses connected with privatization, credit fraud, offenses connected with deposits, trafficking in stolen motor vehicles, and the illegal production of and trade in alcohol. Various forms of organized crime have been defined in the Criminal Code since the 1920's. The Ministry of the Interior has established special organized crime investigative units to operate throughout the country. A 1995 law allows various methods of investigation, including infiltration, technical eavesdropping, test purchases of drugs, and the use of agent provocateurs. Several reforms relevant to organized crime and economic crime have been included in the new Criminal Code of 1996, which provides more effective means for the prevention of organized crime.