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Hotspots of Organized Crime in the Western Balkans

Since the end of 2018, protestors in Albania, Montenegro and Serbia have been taking to the streets to express their frustration and anger at corruption and organized crime. Journalists in the region are being targeted for exposing high-level graft, like Olivera Lakić, who, in May 2018, was shot in the leg after revealing the complicity of senior Montenegrin officials in cigarette smuggling. People with alleged links to crime have been arrested and questioned in connection with the murder of Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanović.

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One of Europe’s most ‘prolific’ criminal groups busted — Europol

(CNN)One of Europe’s most prolific crime groups involved in large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and assassinations has been dismantled, Europol said Wednesday.The criminal network run by Lithuanian and other EU nationals earned an estimated $760 million from its crimes between 2017-19, the European Union’s law enforcement agency said in a statement.

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Five arrested over jewellery raid at Amir Jewellers

Mit Video!
Members of the public attempted to stop the thieves as they left the storeFive men have been arrested by the Metropolitan Police after the group raided the Amir Jewellers jewellery store in Maida Vale, London.

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Chilean burglary gangs causing havoc in Southern California, law enforcement says

The thieves, using travel visas to enter the country, target high-end homes, cars and businessesFederal, state and local law enforcement agencies throughout Southern California are joining forces to catch a new breed of brazen criminals using travel visas to enter the U.S. to loot from homes, businesses and automobiles.Dubbed by authorities as “burglary tourism,” sophisticated gangs comprised of Chilean nationals are suspected of committing a string of thefts in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties, including a $1.2 million heist in March at a Laguna Niguel jewelry store….

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Orange County jewelry store owner hatches plan to catch burglars, disappointed by outcome

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (KABC) — Brian Hassine is leaving the hole in his jewelry store’s roof until he says his business is made whole again. Six weeks ago, thieves cut the power to Nuggets and Carats in Laguna Niguel, and they got to work. « In our case, they noticed the power was not back on because we weren’t notified, and they proceeded to cut a hole in the ceiling, come in and take everything we owned, » said Hassine. …

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150 000 LITRES OF FAKE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL SEIZED FROM ‘WELL-OILED’ GANG

Experts from Europol’s Intellectual Property Crime Coordinated Coalition – IPC3 supported the Italian Carabinieri and the Tribunal of Darmstadt in Germany, in the arrest of 20 individuals and the seizure of 150 000 litres of fake olive oil. The criminals, who raked in up to € 8 million every year in criminal profit, modified the colour of low quality oils to sell them on the Italian and German markets as extra virgin olive oil.

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Organised crime chronic and corrosive to the UK – National Crime Agency

The threat of organised crime is « chronic and corrosive » to the UK and more money is needed to tackle it, according to the National Crime Agency. Head of the agency Lynne Owens said organised criminals were killing more citizens per year than terrorism, war and natural disasters combined.

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Startups are fighting thieves by putting your Rolex on the blockchain

Paris-based startup Arianee wants to fight theft by putting luxury goods on the blockchain. But will it work? And is it good business?

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WATCH: Seven arrested in raids targeting organised crime gang

Seven people have today been arrested as part of an investigation into an organised criminal gang. The gang is believed to be responsible for thefts and burglaries committed over the last year totalling more than £1 million. The offences, committed across north Lancashire and northern England, include high value commercial plant theft, stealing ATMs and cash in transit thefts, as well as burglaries at domestic properties.

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£1m fraudsters who funded notorious Nigerian organised crime gang convicted

Three siblings who were working directly for the leader of a notorious Nigerian crime gang have been convicted of laundering nearly £1m for the Black Axe organised crime syndicate through UK bank accounts. Okemiorukaye Nakpodia, 56, was found guilty of conspiracy to money launder at Woolwich Crown Court today (8 May 2019). Esther Nakpodia, 35, Unuakpotovo Nakpodia, 46, both pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

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