Criminal Hierarchal Structures. Models of Organized Crime in the Baltic Sea Region
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.SIAK-Journal – Zeitschrift für Polizeiwissenschaft und polizeiliche Praxis Pullat, Risto (2009): Criminal hierarchal structures. Models of organized crime in the Baltic Sea Region SIAK-Journal − Zeitschrift für Polizeiwissenschaft und polizeiliche Praxis (2), 24-30. doi: 10.7396/2009_2_C Um auf diesen Artikel als Quelle zu verweisen, verwenden Sie bitte folgende Angaben: Pullat, Risto (2009). Criminal hierarchal structures. Models of organized crime in the Baltic Sea Region SIAK-Journal − Zeitschrift für Polizeiwissenschaft und polizeiliche Praxis (2), 24- 30, Online: http://dx.doi.org/10.7396/2009_2_C. © Bundesministerium für Inneres – Sicherheitsakademie / Verlag NWV, 2009 Hinweis: Die gedruckte Ausgabe des Artikels ist in der Print-Version des SIAK-Journals im Verlag NWV (http://nwv.at) erschienen. Online publiziert: 3/2013 .SIAK-JOURNAL 2/2009 Criminal hierarchal structures Models of organized crime in the Baltic Sea Region Stable criminal hierarchal structures have given up their place for flexible and changing organizations and networks in the Baltic Sea Region, that can be created for performing certain single “projects”. Criminal structures can fulfill economic, social and quasi-state tasks. The different social embedded ness determines the structure of organized crime. The author distinguishes between four main criminal networks. First are the criminal networks that have no social support structure in their countries of operation. Second are the criminal networks based on a sub-culture. Third are the criminal net works that exist in the society in a hidden form that includes seemingly law RISTO PULLAT, Project manager in the Estonian abiding individuals who have no obstacles for using the legitimate social Ministry of the Interior. infrastructure. Fourth, the networks intertwined with the elite in power, the participants of which have a direct access to the decision processes of poli tics, business and media. INTRODUCTION hierarchal structures have given up their The discourse of criminal networks is place for flexible and changing organiza based on the point of view that organized tions and networks that can be created for crime manifests itself in the cooperation performing certain single “projects”.3 Cri of criminals and criminal groups in diffe minal cooperation is carried out either in a VOCABULARY rent combinations. Hence, criminal net relationship of a supplier-consumer or in a works are groups of people connected relationship of a temporary employer law-abiding gesetzestreu with criminal networks.1 Fresh research employee, in a partnership of two persons confirms the earlier assessments that in in pairs or in small groups of a small hori key players Hauptakteure Europe, including in the Baltic Sea Re zontal or vertical integration. This is par gion, the ruling form of criminal coopera tially also confirmed by official sources. It tion is the network of personal relation doesn’t of course mean that the criminal ships that the criminals successfully take organizations would have terminated their advantage of. Criminal networks have the activity; they have just transferred it to the following features: the nucleus that coor countries where it is possible to operate dinates the activity of the network; key undisturbed. In an environment with an players making up the nucleus of the net efficient system of internal security, emer work; subgroups carrying out different gence of criminal organizations is excep tasks; members on the intermediate level tional, except in the cases when they are carrying out the daily work to communi based on some legal structure.4 cate with the members of the lower level Europol considers the so-called oriented and protect the key players; the network is clusters, bunches of criminal groups with provided with information and resources a central management, to be major threat. by members separate from the network; a Clusters are united by the strong sides of large number of members.2 Timo Kyntäjä hierarchical structures and criminal net is of the opinion that the stable criminal works, as a result of which a big criminal 24 2/2009 .SIAK-JOURNAL capability is achieved. In the opinion of zation called “Mutual Fund” all by himself Europol, the threat of formation of the for almost twenty years. The below men clusters is caused by the partial lack of tioned quote should complement the pic control over domestic economy and social ture of the leader of the Estonian under dynamics. As the second dangerous phe world. nomenon, the cell type criminal organiza “He lives alone with his books as women tions which operate in the EU countries are not to be trusted. He reads a lot, en but which are lead from outside of its bor gages in sports on a daily basis, is in super der are to be mentioned. physical and mental shape for his age. He VOCABULARY has two driver-body guards. K.9 (corr.) sustainable Due to a deep conspiracy, it is solves mutual disputes, usually making nachhaltig extremely difficult to combat sure that both parties are happy and that rough-handed the activity of cell type MF is also happy. He is a rough-handed hier: mit rauen criminal groups. diplomat, polite, modest. A group of busi Umgangsformen nessmen turns over the money. The to turn over Europol distinguishes also their in-be money can be in a safe-box, in Russia or übergeben tween model where the mainly ethnic cri on the accounts of seven people. Each 24 minal groups are trying to leave the frame members of the MF have probably got work of their community. Apart from the their own smaller ‘Mutual Fund’. With the above mentioned structures, there are also money from this fund, current expenses criminal networks which lack the influ and lawyers’ fees are paid and those in pri ence of oriented clusters, but which are son are helped. Money is made above all sustainable due to regenerating member with the means of MF. (…) K. (corr.) ship and absence of not easily determined makes the most important decisions. The central leadership.5 elder is responsible for a common mem ber. Friendship and money are kept apart. UNDERWORLD HAS ITS OWN Everybody is included in communication BOSSES (…)”10. Criminal structures can fulfill economic, “He keeps a low profile and this has social and quasi-state tasks.6 The economic earned him respect. People also appreciate criminal structures are oriented towards that he ‘takes less than he could’. Histori profit and they should be distinguished cally he has grown to be a leader. K. (corr.) from the criminal structures filling the has essentially the functions of a ‘legal social functions, like the Finnish and Swe thief’”11. dish biker gangs or the “legal thieves”7. The “criminal high league” is made up The so-called Mutual Fund controlling a of 24 persons, knowingly to whom more big part of Estonian organized crime can serious crimes are committed in Estonia. also be counted in this group. For instance, the G. and B. groups control One form of organizing the criminals at ling the market of amphetamine, MDMA large is a “Mutual Fund” (MF), the central (ecstasy) and hashish in Narva and in its point of Estonian organized crime.8 In Esto close neighborhood were not subordinate nia, a unique situation in the Baltic Sea to anybody; they had however to pay the region has formed where the nucleus of the compulsory fee to the “Mutual Fund”.12 underworld is one person surrounded by a The hierarchic structure of organized crime dozen persons belonging to his immediate has apparently been possible only due to circle. This man has managed the organi the small size of the Estonian illegal market 25 .SIAK-JOURNAL 2/2009 and to the leadership quality of the person rules of conduct and solve the points of managing it. Organized crime in Estonia dispute in some area or market.15 In the must be regarded separately from the Rus following extract from an interview we sian organized crime and there can be no shall see that also in Estonia, the “Mutual talk of any subordination. Estonian Rus Fund” gets involved in solving of all kinds sian speaking organized crime operates of conflict situation. still in the realm of the so-called subcul “At the same time, in the year 2006 the ture of thieves. The Estonian speaking unwritten rules of the underworld are still in organized crime operates in the space of force in Estonia. Let me bring an example. “Western” crime; some of their concepts, This year, an X said about a Y, that the latter however, originate from the subculture of ‘is providing roof’ to an object. Because “thieves”. The carriers of the criminal sub of that, Y who was an influential person in culture are undoubtedly penitentiary insti the underworld, had X beaten up and fined, tutions;13 first and foremost the camp type as he had dared to mention the name of Y. (i.e. Gulag type) prisons (e.g. Murru pri Or another, recent example. A car was son in Estonia). The “Mutual Fund” has its embezzled by a person, after which this VOCABULARY own contact persons in the prisons and the person claimed that the car had been prison administration keeps an eye on bought for the resources of the Mutual deviant abweichend them. Fund. For those words, the man lost his car and in addition to that was also fined. At to embezzle veruntreuen, Estonian organized crime can the same time one can firmly state that the auf die Seite schaffen be differentiated by fields of older criminal bosses avoid violence as it activity and not by territory. attracts the unnecessary attention of the police. The killing of K. K. (corr.) was dis Specialization is a phase of development approved of by many.”16 of crime that is characterized by growth of The author is however of the opinion professionalism of the criminals, and the that in the very near future the Mutual strict internal distribution of labor in a cri Fund will fall apart, as in the circumstan minal organization.