Russian TV looks at ethnic crime groups
Channel One Worldwide (for Europe), Moscow
19 Feb 07
"Ethnic crime groups are the curse of developed countries. The United
States is besieged by Chinese and Mexicans, Germany by Turks, France
by Arabs.
Russia is no exception. It is under onslaught from criminals from all
over the CIS," Channel One’s Special Investigation programme said on
19 February.
Presenter Nataliya Metlina claimed that nearly half of the offences in
Russia are committed by "international organized crime groups". Her
film put the spotlight on Georgians, Azerbaijanis, Armenian Kurds,
Dagestanis and Tajiks.
Metlina said that several thousand figures of authority and 200 made
men (kriminalnyy avtoritet and vor v zakone) were on the Interior
Ministry files, with each of the made men in charge of several ethnic
crime groups. An identified employee of the organized crime bureau of
the Interior Ministry’s Main Directorate for the Central Federal
District whose face was not shown added that only 13 of Moscow’s 67
made men were Slavs, with the rest representing Caucasian peoples.
The film profiled several Georgians, including a certain Beslan Jonua,
native of Abkhazia, gunned down in the heart of Moscow on 8
February. Speaking over hidden camera footage of a memorial service,
Metlina said that the mahogany coffin was indicative of Jonua’s status
as one of the most influential men in the criminal world. An
unidentified former police official whose face was not shown said of
Jonua: "He was highly respected not only among the Georgian clan but
also by Moscow’s Slav organized crime groups. He was a peacemaker. He
never supported war". Metlina suggested that Jonua’s death marked the
beginning of redistribution of spheres of influence. She claimed that
the majority of the Georgian made men and figures of authority went
home amid last autumn’s police crackdowns but have now come back to
Moscow to reclaim what they lost.
Metlina said that Russia’s large Georgian criminal population was the
consequence of a cunning ploy devised by the Soviet Georgian
authorities who sent local criminals to Russian prisons. After
completing their sentences, they chose to stay in Russia. Under
Georgia’s new criminal code crime bosses can be jailed merely for
having the title of made man, while for the Russian authorities could
"only prosecute them if they broke immigration laws". Consequently,
they are doing everything in their power to stay in Russia, she added.
Metlina travelled to Tambov where "thousands of ethnic Kurds from
Armenia" have "taken control of practically the entire region". Andrey
Druzhinin, head of the Tambov Region Interior Ministry’s organized
crime directorate, said a construction firm owned by members of the
local Kurdish diaspora was being investigated for misuse of government
funds. The presenter then described a series of crimes committed by
ethnic Kurds, including the employment of illegal migrants from
Uzbekistan. Aleksandr Arkhipov, former member of Tambov city council,
described Kurds as rude, provocative and disobedient.
"There is complete lawlessness in Tambov. The regional administration
is not doing anything, locals are scared, Kurdish companies continue
embezzling the region’s budget, while the leader of the diaspora, Mr
Shamoyan, is putting up leaflets in the city, promising to bring to
the region 10,000 young, healthy, non-drinking Kurds who will increase
the birth rate and facilitate the development of Tambov’s agriculture
and economy, possibly through the same criminal methods as before,"
said Metlina.
There are 30 Azeri crime groups in Russia, she said, adding that "a
large percentage of Moscow’s 1m-strong Azeri population is involved in
crime". They make a living by extorting money from taxi drivers and
imposing levies on street traders, Metlina said. She reviewed a number
of crimes committed by members of the Ganja group, "the most vicious"
Azeri crime group.
"The Azeri organized crime groups are the largest and most influential
in Russia. The threat posed by Azeri organized crime groups however
also lies in their close cooperation with other ethnic groups," said
Metlina.
Finally she discussed the role of Dagestani and Tajik groups, saying
that Dagestani organized crime groups are among the youngest in
Russia, specializing in extortion and illegal arms trade. She also
described Dagestan as the main source of counterfeit roubles and
dollars.
"Law enforcement bodies and lawmakers have only just started thinking
seriously about confronting ethnic crime groups and toughening
immigration laws.
The slogan no outsiders allowed should only be applied to foreign
criminals because Russia still needs workers, those fleeing hunger,
war and unemployment.
Our country guarantees them a living. In return it requires that they
respect its laws. When these rules are acceptable to Russia’s guests
we welcome them sincerely and whole-heartedly," Nataliya Metlina said,
concluding the 61-minute film.
From: Baghdasarian