Criminal gangs exploit Union’s single market

Date: 14/11/1996

By Mark Turner

A CONFIDENTIAL annual report on organised crime in the EU reveals that a growing number of international gangs are using the Union as a single economic area in which to conduct their activities.

But while information exchange between member states is improving, there is still a long way to go before experts will be able to build anything like a unified picture of who is doing what.

The 1995 report, which will be discussed by justice ministers at their meeting on 28-29 November, includes a national situation report from each EU member state and a 20-page summary which attempts to draw them together.

But although the report has been praised as substantially more detailed than in previous years, conclusions have been extremely difficult to draw.

Not only does the quality of member states' contributions vary considerably, but also the figures used are often incompatible, making accurate comparisons impossible.

“This is a worrying state of affairs, given the clear need for international cooperation,” said an official.

The conclusions highlight the extreme diversity of criminal groups working in the EU, and also demonstrate that their activities have become increasingly international.

The report shows that gangs of foreign origin are busy in all EU countries except Ireland and Finland.

Where they come from depends on a number of factors, including cultural links and geography. Spain and Portugal are used extensively by Latin American gangs, while Germany and Austria are the main target of eastern Europeans.

Among EU-origin groups, Italian gangs were found to be active in nine member states and Dutch ones in seven. But in all these cases, it was almost impossible to determine the size of their operations on a European scale with any accuracy.

Drug-related activities are the most prevalent type of crime recorded, with Turkish and Moroccan gangs particularly prolific, especially in the illegal trade in heroin.

Organised fraud, on the other hand, appears to be mainly controlled by 'domestic' groups, although South Americans, Chinese and Pakistanis are all active in this area. Russian groups specialise in money-laundering, while eastern European gangs target car theft.

The size of organised gangs also varies considerably. Some Dutch groups were found to have more than 100 members and 40&percent; of groups in Germany had over ten members.

Domestic gangs tend to be larger than foreign ones and are reportedly more likely to be based on family structures and local criminal networks, while foreign groups are more likely to use local ethnic communities as a support base.

The structure and organisation of organised crime gangs are of particular concern since, without an accurate picture, it is extremely difficult to define what they are in legal terms.

“We all know instinctively what organised crime is, but find it impossible to express it with any accuracy,” said one official.

One thing appears clear, however. Organised crime is not a static phenomenon and the techniques used by gangs are becoming ever more sophisticated. The report shows that many groups are substantially restructuring their various businesses, and often separate their financial activities from more 'traditional' crime.

In Germany, up to 80&percent; of groups use legal business structures either for direct support, money laundering or as a smokescreen.

And amid growing concern about corruption in high places, up to 45&percent; of Dutch groups were found to exercise influence over institutions and authorities such as the police and judiciary. Criminal pressure on the political process in southern Italy is well documented.