FBIS4-31645
"dreeu114_p_94006"
FBIS-EEU-94-114
Daily Report
14 Jun 1994
POLAND
_O_Growth of Organized Crime Fueled by Drug Trade
_O_Growth of Organized Crime Fueled by Drug Trade
94P20850A
94P20850A
CSO
[Editorial Report] Several recent Polish newspaper items
have described and commented on the rise of organized crime in
Poland and its involvement in the international narcotics trade.
Criminal Gangs
An editorial in the 28 April Warsaw daily POLSKA ZBROJNA
complained of the increasing involvement of organized "gangs" in
large-scale auto-theft, money-laundering, and drug-trafficking
operations. The paper stated that these criminals, who are
reportedly equipped with high-tech communications systems and
fast cars that have no trouble in outrunning police cruisers,
are able to use the profits from their criminal activities to
thwart the criminal justice system: "Even if the police succeed
in arresting a member of one of these gangs, highly qualified
and generously paid lawyers get him out in 48 hours. Bail is
paid immediately. The events described in the press every day
confirm the rumors about corruption in the police department,
the public prosecutor's office, and the courts." Frequent
violent clashes between rival gangs have led the police to
predict that "in the next few years, on the streets of our
cities, one will be able to see scenes as depicted in the U.S.
gangster films of the 1930's."
Polish "Mafia"
A 19 May ZYCIE WARSZAWY article entitled "How a Mafia Is
Born" noted that, while Polish authorities reject the use of the
term "Mafia" for Polish gangs, there are "well-organized gangs"
that control prostitution, extort protection money from
legitimate businesses, smuggle drugs on a large scale, and have
infiltrated the criminal justice system. According to the
Warsaw daily, the three main gangs are named "Pruszkow,"
"Ozarow," and "Wolomind" after districts of the Polish capital.
Increasingly violent "turf" wars are said to have included the
use of military.weapons, including hand grenades.
Police Powers Limited
Journalist Ireneusz Krzeminski has traced the rise of
organized crime to the limitations placed on police authority
and procedures since 1989 by successive democratic governments.
Writing in the 8 May RZECZPOSP0LITA, Krzeminski asserted that
the new restrictions have demoralized the police and made them
reluctant to take action, while, at the same time, emboldening a
criminal element used to the harsh repressive measures of the
communist regime.
Russian Example
An editorial in the 9 May ZYCIE WARSZAWY warned that the
recent experience of Russia demonstrated the dangers inherent in
unimpeded growth of organized crime: "We should see what the
Mafia has done in Russia, where, in only the past few years, it
has become one of the forces controlling the country. Now they
are looking toward us as partners. In this context, we should
look at the development of organized crime in our country."
Drug Smuggling
Polish criminals have made their country the fourth-largest
European producer of illegal amphetamines, behind the
Netherlands, Great Britain, and Belgium, according to an article
in the 9 May ZYCIE WARSZAWY. Polish amphetamines are reportedly
destined primarily for the German and Scandinavian markets. The
paper noted that Polish drug dealers had been arrested recently
in Berlin for attempting to sell 10 kilograms of Polish-produced
amphetamines, worth approximately 144,0O0 German marks.
The 27 April ZYCIE WARSZAWY reported that the largest single
seizure of illegal drugs in the history of Britain was made on
board a Polish freighter in the harbor of Liverpool. The ship,
which was en route from Venezuela to Poland, contained 520
kilograms of "very-high-quality" cocaine, hidden in glue cans.
The cocaine was said to have been intended for distribution to
West European markets via Poland.