28.09.24 – Peru ‘losing the battle’ by organised crime, business groups fear economic fallout, call for action. Peru’s business associations said yesterday that the country is “losing the battle” against organised crime, after an escalation in extortions forced the government to call in the military to help police bolster security in the capital Lima. The Andean nation’s government on Thursday declared a 60-day state of emergency in 12 districts of Lima after bus drivers in the city went on strike, demanding greater protection from authorities due to a wave of extortion and attacks. Yesterday, it added two more districts. “We live under siege from organised crime which has taken control of the country in the alarming absence of the state,” more than 20 trade associations said in a joint statement. The organisations range from industry and commerce to import-export firms, restaurants and even beauty salons.
26.09.24 – Albania’s ex-PM who was told he can’t enter Britain because of his ‘clear links to organised crime’ spends £400,000 fighting ban. An allegedly corrupt former Albanian Prime Minister has reportedly spent more than £400,000 trying to overturn a ban on entering the UK because of ‘clear links to crime groups’. Sali Berisha, who served as Albania’s PM from 2005 to 2013 and as president from 1992 to 1997, was put under house arrest in his country while he is investigated for allegedly abusing his office to benefit his son-in-law. The 79-year-old – who is also the head of the opposition Democratic Party – was charged with corruption last October.
25.09.24 – The EU judicial cooperation agency is stepping up its fight against organized crime. The European Union’s judicial cooperation agency, Eurojust, launched a new network on Wednesday to strengthen and further coordinate the continent’s fight against organized crime. The European Judicial Organised Crime Network’s first priority will be tackling drug-related crime. Drug trafficking cases at Eurojust have doubled since 2020. The organization said that in 2023 it worked on almost 2,500 cases that led to the seizure of drugs worth more than 25 billion euros ($28 billion).
24.09.24 – South Africa is not a playground for criminals and transnational organised crime, says General Masemola. A Namibian drug mule is set to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, on a charge of dealing in drugs and drug possession. The drug mule, 30, has released 68 drug bullets from her body. Police said the estimated weight of the drugs is 850g and additional charges may be added at a later stage. On Monday, a second medical examination/X-ray confirmed that all drugs had been removed from the Namibian drug mule’s body. She was moved to a detention facility.
23.09.24 – One of Latvia’s most notorious criminals arrested with Europol’s support. On 10 September, the Latvian State Police (Valsts policija) has arrested one of Latvia’s most notorious criminals following an intelligence-led operation supported by Europol and Eurojust. In simultaneous actions, ten additional members of the same organised crime group were apprehended in Riga, Latvia, while six others were arrested in Lloret de Mar and Valencia, Spain, in collaboration with the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional). The main suspect has been one of the key figures in the Latvian criminal world. He was known for his luxurious lifestyle, despite having no legal income sources, and actively travelled abroad. To evade capture, he moved around in a specially equipped van accompanied by three armed bodyguards, illustrating the high level of security measures he maintained.
