FBIS3-55219 "drsov004_v_94007"
FBIS-SOV-94-004 Document Type:Daily Report 6 Jan 1994
Lithuania

Minister on Results of Crime Fighting in 1993

WS0401133194 Vilnius RESPUBLIKA in Lithuanian 22 Dec 93 No. 247 p 6 WS0401133194 Vilnius RESPUBLIKA Language: Lithuanian Article Type:BFN [Report by Remigijus Barauskas: "A Temporary Illusion of Success in Combating the Mafia"] [Text] After the adoption of the law on preventive detention, 58 groups of organized crime were identified and detained in Lithuania over a short time. "However, their removal has resulted in the annexation of their spheres of influence to other groups or to the establishment of new organizations. The fight against crime by police and legal measures alone produces a temporary illusion of success. If we do not eliminate the economic factors promoting crime, this fight may lose any sense," said Lithuanian Interior Minister Romasis Vaitekunas at a collegium meeting yesterday. According to the minister, some leaders of criminal gangs in Vilnius, Kaunas, and Siauliai have emigrated and established contacts with international criminal organizations. According to Interpol reports, Lithuanian criminal groups have relations with those in the United States, Israel, Germany, Russia, and other countries. The list of criminals includes large-scale leaders of groups known both to Interpol and the police in different states. The key areas of Mafia activities are drug trafficking, trade in oil products and arms, money forgery, racketeering, prostitution, and gambling. Resolute actions of the police in applying the law on preventive detention helped stabilize the criminal situation in the country. The rate of crime has dropped from 40 in early 1993 to 10 percent by the end of the year. Criminal police have uncovered one-third of the crimes. However, the fact that the number of violent crimes has increased considerably is worrisome. In comparison with last year, the number of recorded murders with premeditation and attempts to murder have increased by 53 and 76 percent, respectively. The criminals' aggressiveness and violence is growing. Firearms were used 127 times (or twice) more often than last year, and 124 explosions were registered this year. There are increasingly more attacks on policemen. In the opinion of the interior minister, trust in law enforcement institutions has risen, because the number of people informing the police about racketeers has increased five-fold. R. Vaitekunas predicted that the level of crime should stabilize next year. Combating organized crime remains the key task of the police. This task should be facilitated by a law on control over criminal communities (or an anti-Mafia law) which is currently being drafted.