FBIS3-19199
"drweu049_a_94003"
FBIS-WEU-94-049
Document Type:Daily Report
14 Mar 1994
AUSTRIA
Interior Minister Proposes Crime-Fighting Measures
AU1103112194 Vienna DER STANDARD in German 11 Mar 94 p 5
AU1103112194
Vienna DER STANDARD
Language: German
Article Type:BFN
[Report signed "voel": "Smuggling of People Is a Thriving
Business"]
[Text] Vienna -- At the security meeting entitled "The
International Threat," which was held on Thursday [10 March] on
the occasion of the Security and Safety fair in Vienna, Interior
Minister Franz Loeschnak reported on new types of organized
crime: The smuggling of refugees, mafia-type blackmail, and
economic crimes.
According to Loeschnak, 5,000 to 10,000 people are
"smuggled"
into Austria illegally every year. Further tens of thousands,
mainly from African countries, are transported by gangs to other
countries via Austria. Loeschnak stated: "This is a thriving
business." Up to $10,000 is being charged per person.
Another type of crime is also spreading in Austria, namely
the extortion of money through blackmail. Loeschnak believes
that "at least every third, but maybe even every second" citizen
from Turkey and the former Yugoslavia is being blackmailed by
organized gangs to pay protection money.
Austrian companies that are carrying out orders abroad are
also faced with blackmail. Loeschnak claimed that they are
"paying without hesitation" so as not to endanger their workers
abroad. The climax of these criminal machinations has not yet
been reached, and the international threat has reached a
"considerable extent."
Loeschnak spoke of "very sophisticated" econmic crime where
"big chiefs" of international concerns illegally "embezzle
hundreds of millions of schillings, German marks, or dollars."
Loeschnak mentioned several measures to be taken by the
executive bodies to get the situation under control. The
establishment of special units are an initial step. In the
sphere of drugs, specialist have been active for years. This
must be extended to economic crimes, the smuggling of refugees
and of cars.
To achieve success in the fight against organized crime,
"suitable tools" are needed. Loeschnak mentioned the so-called
bugging campaign, "no matter whether big, medium-sized, or
small," and the state's regulation of evidence. "We should not
develop any philosophies or principles in this respect. This is
not important. What we need are suitable instruments."
In this respect, the interior minister clearly supported
membership in the European Union, because international
cooperation against cross-border crime must be intensified.