FSA could do with winning one! Our City correspondent draws my attention to this piece of breaking news. More will be revealed this afternoon! Reuters, however, alleges an ex-Cazenove partner is involved. http://tinyurl.com/5knvfc
ABSTRACT Cultivation and production of opium in Afghanistan have skyrocketed since the Taliban were toppled in 2001 such that Afghanistan now supplies 92 percent of the world’s illicit opium. The expanding opium trade is threatening to destabilize the Afghan government and turn the conflict-ridden country back into a safe haven for drug traffickers and terrorists. … OPIUM AND AFGHANISTAN: REASSESSING US COUNTER-NARCOTICS STRATEGY
Actually the Camorra, allegedly through Giorgio Chinaglia. Lord Steven’s report soon to have results in the UK, too. [Well, maybe!] This account from the Telegraph.
Well they signalled it very clearly. Only two agencies blocked so far from receiving funds, but warning also to Romania and to the next round of applicants. More has to be done about corruption.
OLAF’s Annual Report is out! http://ec.europa.eu/anti_fraud/press_room/pr/2008/7/en.html
Hidden away in this Guardian article is a reminder that there is still a lawsuit outstanding in Russia over money-laundering. BoNY has settled with the US authorities, but Russians not ready to settle.
CNN piece in series on FBI. Overview of various ethnically-based groups. Very popular in tone.
Not a lot of organised crime reports out there, so this New York Times piece on the accused in the liquid bomb trial in London is timely. Good to get an outside perspective and a review of what the prosecution and defence cases have been.
Update on Australian story. Something is very odd about a country where the judges have a better sense of humour than the politicians. unfortunately, the Guardian gets rather public schoolboyish in its coverage here. But I supposed there’s nothing politicians fear more than not being taken seriously. No longer a crime to be silly in … COURT THROWS OUT “ANNOYANCE” LAW
Agreement between G8 leaders: does it restore the status quo ante the internet, or is it a massive government invasion of personal privacy for the benefit of the multinationals? And what are the opportunities it presents for organised crime? By now we all should know, all new laws do is put up the price of … IS THE HOLLOW STATE STILL HOLLOW?
