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Russian Organized Crime Organization

By 1996, various criminal formations in Russia controlled more than 40,000 organizations of various forms of ownership, including 1,500 state enterprises, 4,000 JSCs, 600 banks. The current situation is that society is opposed by a well-organized structure based on the powerful financial potential of the shadow economy and a "roof" in the form of corrupt officials. There was no central leadership of organized crime in general, on an all-Russian scale. There were regional centers. large criminal communities. Stable criminal associations with their own structure and interregional ties have been formed. It was difficult to distinguish legitimate business from illegal. There was a criminalization of the economy, where the aspirations of criminal formations had penetrated and are directed. A serious threat was their ties with corrupt officials in government and administration, at enterprises and organizations, in the Armed Forces, the merging of criminal groups with bank employees, the inclusion of criminal structures in foreign economic activity.

The Thieves-in-Law (a.k.a. vory, a.k.a. KANONIERI KURDEBI; a.k.a. KANONIERI QURDEBI; a.k.a. KANONIERI QURDI; a.k.a. RAMKIANI QURDEBI; a.k.a. RAMKIANI QURDI; a.k.a. SINIE; a.k.a. THIEF-IN-LAW; a.k.a. THIEVES PROFESSING THE CODE; a.k.a. THIEVES-WITHIN-THE-LAW; a.k.a. VOR V ZAKONYE; a.k.a. VOR-V-ZAKONE a.k.a. VORY V ZAKONI; a.k.a. VORY V ZAKONYE; a.k.a. VORY-V-ZAKONE; a.k.a. VOR-ZAKONNIK; a.k.a. ZAKONNIK , United States; Russia; Greece; Ukraine; Spain [TCO] was a Eurasian crime syndicate that has been linked to a long list of illicit activity across the globe. The Thieves-in-Law originated in Stalinist prison camps. Its members are initiated or “crowned” after demonstrating an “ideal” criminal biography and take an oath to uphold a code that includes living exclusively off their criminal profits and supporting other Thieves-in-Law. Gatherings of Thieves-in-Law are called “skhodka,” during which decisions are made on issues, such as specific criminal activity, redistribution of criminal spheres of interest, responses to law enforcement operations, crowning of new Thieves-in-Law, and punishment of those who violate Thieves-in-Law traditions and customs. Law enforcement in various countries have attempted to break up such gatherings in order to prevent Thieves-in-Law from coordinating activities by raiding them and detaining the participants.

The Thieves-in-Law had grown into a vast criminal organization which has spread throughout the former Soviet Union, Europe, and the United States, engaging in a variety of crimes, such as money laundering, extortion, bribery, and robbery. These criminals and their activities within the United States have become a target for U.S. law enforcement. In 1995, a Thief-in-Law was arrested in New York and later deported to Russia after serving a nine-year sentence on extortion charges; another Thief-in-Law was sentenced to three years in prison in 2013 after pleading guilty in Manhattan to a racketeering conspiracy. As recently as this year, U.S. law enforcement indicted over two dozen people, including a Thief-in-Law, for their involvement in crimes including acts of violence, fraud, identity theft, and trafficking in stolen goods.

Thieves-in-Law is a unique element of Russian organized crime. There is nothing like it in the West. Thieves-in-law are highly respected criminal figures who serve as arbitrators and leaders in the criminal underworld. They abide by a strict code of conduct and are considered "thieves by the law of the criminal world". They have significant influence over many Russian criminal organizations, even if they do not directly control them. A thief in law is a professional criminal who keeps the traditions of the underworld. He should not work, serve in the army, have a residence permit and a family, resort to violence without extreme necessity. Assignment of the title of thief in law takes place on "skhodniki", usually in places of detention, after collecting information about the candidate from colleagues in the craft. In St. Petersburg, thieves in law never had such influence as in Moscow, giving primacy to bandits. The exact number of thieves in law is not known. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the territory of the former USSR, there were about 920 thieves in law as of 1996. There were more than 300 of them in Russia, but this number was changing and tending to grow.

The "bandits" who started in the 1980s with racketeering did not recognize the formal authority of thieves and did not make deductions to the common fund. However, the bandits were afraid of thieves due to the fact that in the zones the thieves' authority was still very high. The former military men were resolute and cruel, often using torture on their victims. They robbed speculators, cooperators, currency traders, prostitutes. The reconnaissance of the "Afghans" worked poorly, and poor people were often the objects of raids. They rarely used firearms, cultivating the art of hand-to-hand combat. As of 1996 by mutual agreement of gangster and thieves' authorities, in St. Petersburg the bandit Kudryashov Pavel (aka "Kudryash") had been appointed "watchman". The influence in the criminal world of the so-called "Cop" gangs, led by former employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was great. These gangs stood apart and defended their right to exist by force, preferring to legalize themselves in the form of security structures, these include the security companies "Grif", "Agent". Some bandits began to appreciate the advantage of the thieves' tactics of individual terror over the general gangster "showdown". Surveillance methods, industrial espionage and the quiet elimination of competitors were much better mastered by thieves than by bandits, despite the extensive experience of many of them in the police. The low professionalism of the bandits was a constant object of ridicule from the thieves.

Russian organized crime is complex and involves various criminal organizations with different structures, scales, and criminal activities. Here are some general characteristics of Russian organized crime structures:

• Hierarchical Structure: This is one of the most typical structures in organized crime. At the top, there is usually a "boss" or "Don", who has the ultimate authority and takes the most significant share of the profits. Below the boss, there can be several levels of management, including "underbosses", "capos", and "soldiers". This structure is similar to the traditional mafia and is used by some of the most powerful criminal organizations in Russia.
• Network Structure: Some Russian criminal organizations operate more like a network of independent criminals or smaller groups. These networks can be loosely connected and not always have a clear hierarchy. They may collaborate on specific criminal activities but operate independently in other situations. This structure is more flexible and adaptable to law enforcement efforts, as the removal of one part does not necessarily disrupt the whole organization.
• Hybrid Structure: Some Russian criminal organizations have a hybrid structure that combines elements of the hierarchical and network structures. For instance, they may have a hierarchical organization at the top but operate in a more network-like manner at lower levels.
• Clan or Family Structure: Some Russian criminal organizations are based on family ties or ethnic identity. These organizations can be highly loyal and tight-knit, making them difficult for law enforcement to infiltrate.

These structures can change and evolve over time due to various factors, including law enforcement pressure, changes in the criminal market, and internal conflicts. Therefore, the actual structure of a particular Russian criminal organization may not perfectly fit any of these categories. It's important to understand that the structure of Russian organized crime is complex and varies greatly between different groups. Generally, these criminal organizations can be quite hierarchical, but they also demonstrate network-based characteristics. Typically, Russian organized crime groups are organized around a core of key individuals, often termed 'authorities' or 'thieves in law'. These individuals provide overall strategic guidance and ensure that the organization functions smoothly. They're often involved in the adjudication of disputes within the criminal underworld and the distribution of resources. The hierarchy typically includes the following roles:

• Pakhan (Boss): The Pakhan is the top of the organization. He makes all the important decisions and all the money flows to him.
• Sovetnik (Counsellor): This is the advisor to the Pakhan. He can suggest ideas to the Pakhan, but it's the Pakhan who makes the final decision.
• Obshchak (Common Bank or Treasury): This individual is responsible for the group's cash, ensuring money flows through the organization as needed.
• Brigadiers (Crew Bosses): They control the smaller groups of people within the organization, the operational cells that carry out the actual criminal activities.
• Soldiers (Shestyorka): These are the lower-level members who are typically responsible for the direct implementation of the criminal tasks.

The criminal community is the level at which organized crime can infiltrate the "legitimate" part of society. Syndicate gang leaders share information and contacts in order to be able to make strategic decisions. Therefore, in communities there are: intelligence, information processing and agents working directly at the highest level. At the gang level, each leader has his own intelligence and security to ensure his personal safety, but they can also be involved in special operations. The lowest level from which there is an overview of the organization as a whole is the link leader, a person who can have from five to ten fighters (brigade) under his command. In the link of 2-5 brigades, a group - 2-5 links, a grouping - 2-4 groups, a community - 5 or more groups. However, the fluidity and flexibility of Russian organized crime should not be underestimated. These organizations can also operate as loosely affiliated networks of criminals who cooperate on a case-by-case basis and share resources and information. The criminal activities undertaken by Russian organized crime groups are diverse, including but not limited to, drug trafficking, human trafficking, extortion, murder, cybercrime, financial fraud, and corruption. The structure and methods of operation can vary greatly depending on the specific group, and this overview is based on general observations. It's also worth noting that many individuals involved in these criminal organizations are highly skilled and educated, which contributes to their ability to adapt to changing circumstances and law enforcement strategies. Russian mafia groups are on the opposite side of the organizational spectrum from the yakuza: they are practically decentralized. In the dashing nineties, organized crime groups actually owned the country. It is difficult to say which of them was the most terrible and influential, but the famous "Solntsevo", of course, were in the top ten. Solntsevskiye organized crime groups took shape in 1988. It was at the end of the 80s that racketeering began to raise its head in the Union - young arrogant guys who first took control of taxi drivers and casinos, and then crushed such profitable businesses as prostitution and trade in stolen or customs-cleared cars. If thieves in law were forbidden to have a family, then in the Solntsevo gang it was considered prestigious to be an exemplary family man - and to honor Orthodox traditions. It was one of the first crime bosses to insist that the money obtained by criminal means be invested in legal businesses. More than a hundred companies were organized in the country, officially registered as members of the organized criminal group. The group Solntsevskaya bratva consisted of 10 independent "brigades" that operate relatively independently of each other. However, the organization's resources are combined, its revenue of US$ 8.5 billion [2015] is managed by a council of 12 people who regularly meet in different countries of the world, often disguising their meetings as various celebrations. According to approximate estimates, the number of this group is about 9,000 people, and it receives its main income from the trade in drugs and people. Russian organized crime as a whole is heavily involved in the trade in heroin coming from Afghanistan: it is believed that Russia consumes about 12% of the world's heroin, while the country's population is only 0.5% of the world's population. By the beginning of 2000, the largest and most influential organized communities in St. Petersburg were Tambovaskoye and the Kosti-Mogila organization. Already at the end of 1999, rumors appeared (especially in criminal and near criminal circles) about a conflict between the leaders of organizations. There were several versions for the cause of the conflict situation. The leader of the "Tambov" community decided to move away from the criminal business and engage exclusively in the legal one. Such a turn deprived the community of additional profits and discontent ripened in its ranks. Part of the Tambovites moved to the Kostya-Mogila camp, strengthening it and thus making it competitive with great chances of success in the redistribution of spheres of influence. Because of the proliferation of groups, there was not a specific organizational structure that can be delineated as if it described one criminal organization. Even the characterization "Russian" was used generically to refer to a variety of Eurasian crime groups - many of which are not Russian. Russian organized crime is widely integrated into the system of international organized crime. Organized crime groups have their "authorized" in many countries of Europe, America, Asia. However, there is no single mafia-type organization in the country, if one does not consider the top government (it is no coincidence that the team of leaders who surrounded Russian President B.N. Yeltsin was called the "family" in the media). Regional criminal communities pursue different policies. Communities of "thieves" in Siberia and the Urals are not similar and differ in their views from the Moscow "thieves". In criminal circles, conflict situations constantly flare up between the "Slavic" and "Caucasian" wings. The unstable economic and political situation in the country can be interpreted as the result of unsettled relations in the underworld, business circles, and the political elite.

Among the active criminals in the U.S. are Armenians, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, and persons from the Caucasus region of the former Soviet Union (Chechens, Dagestanis, and Georgians). The media and law enforcement call these groups various names - Russian mafia, Russian mob, Organizatsya, Bor, Bratva, etc. Some of the group names refer to geographical locations in Russia - Izmailovskaya, Dagestantsy, Kazanskaya, and Solntsenskaya. The latter are indicative of the local geographically defined roots of some Russian crime groups.

It was estimated in 2007 that approximately 15 of these loosely categorized criminal groups were operating in the United States, and that 8 or 9 of them maintained links to Russia. The estimated membership of those groups was 5 - 6,000 members. To put these estimates into context, a June 2000 report published by the Global Organized Crime Project of Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies ("Russian Organized Crime: Putin's Challenge") estimated that 200 large ROC groups were operating in 58 countries worldwide, including the United States.