Sketchy piece about organised crime in Bulgaria. Presumably there will be a programme coming.

Washington Post discussion of the succession to Manuel Marulanda, who died in March of a heart attack. Prospects for peace negotiations reviewed.

Book by Susan McKay “Bear in Mind these Dead”. Which I presume from this New Statesman piece is about the aftermath of the loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland. A long-term problem that will provide a haven for organised criminality for years to come.

Nice little vignette by Alexei Pankin in Moscow Times. Russian corruption unlikely to be abolished soon.

Suitcases full of what looks like gold found in safe deposit search. Should imagine that lots of people are clearing out their safe deposit boxes this weekend. New laws have enaibled the police to go searching as part of anti money-laundering drive.

“Super-witness” killed just before he was about to testify about links between Italian politicians and organised crime in Naples.

£350 million fraud, involving 324 bogus companies. The article is rather short, but it is today’s news. Will try to catch it on the BBC when it gets there. Virendra Rastogi, head of RBG Resources is named as receiving a 9 1/2 year sentence for conspiracy to defraud. The story is odd, though, as told. … “RICH LIST” TYCOON IS JAILED FOR FRAUD

Hidden away in this piece, second paragraph after “Applexy in Number 10” is the assertion that drug dealers and money launderers are also suffering from the end of the house price boom. I thought this would mark an excellent return to this blog. I have to inform you that even in the Outer Hebrides, there … EVEN THE DRUG DEALERS ARE SUFFERING!

Simultaneously, he appears to have been the founder of the CID….Plus ca change….Henry Fielding wrote a book about him 20 yeara after his death. Oh dear…more reading to do!

The 48th Front of FARC and the “Fatman” Oliver Solarte, who makes the money that runs the rebellion. the story is disputed and complex, but is a rare article on drug trafficking, organised crime and terrorism