TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME: the INDIAN PERSPECTIVE Shankar Pratap Singh*
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TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME: THE INDIAN PERSPECTIVE Shankar Pratap Singh* I. A BRIEF OVERVIEW acceleration of the globalization process cannot be brought under control unless Today, a criminal considers the world various governments coordinate the as his field of operation. He commits a strategies and policies at the national crime in one country, deposits the money level with the strategies, policies and derived from criminal activities in an regulations issued at the international offshore bank in another country and level. takes refuge in yet another country. The widespread political, economic, social and technological changes as well as II. ORGANIZED CRIME—THE variations in legislation, procedures and INDIAN PERSPECTIVE policies in different countries on mutual Criminal gangs have been operating in assistance in criminal matters have India since ancient times. There is no allowed organized crime groups to firm data to indicate the number of become increasingly active in the organized criminal gangs operating in the international arena. International country, their membership, their modus criminal organizations are taking full operandi and the areas of their advantage of globalization of world operations. Thousands of organized markets, dismantling of trade barriers, criminal gangs operate in the the increased ease of international travel, countryside. Their structure and liberalized emigration policies, high-tech leadership patterns may not strictly fall communications equipment and in the classical Italian Mafia module. sophisticated money laundering They may sometimes be operating in techniques to enhance and further their loose structures, but the depredations of criminal efforts and to forge alliances such criminal gangs are too well known to with other criminal groups. They are be recounted. However, the purpose of engaged in such felonious activities as organized crime in India, as elsewhere in illicit drug trafficking, money laundering, the world, is monetary gain and this is the use of violence and extortion, acts of what makes it a formidable force in corruption, trafficking in women and today’s socio-political set up. children, illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, environmental In India, organized crime is at its worst crime, credit card fraud, computer related in Mumbai, the commercial capital of the crime, illegal trafficking of stolen country. The first well-known organized vehicles, industrial espionage and gang to emerge in recent times was that sabotage, maritime piracy, etc. The of Varadharajan Mudaliar in the early problems raised by the current sixties. His illegal activities included illicit liquor, gold smuggling, gambling, * Deputy Inspector General of Police, Anti- extortion and contract murders. Three Corruption Cell III, Central Bureau of other gangs emerged shortly thereafter, Investigation, India namely, Haji Mastan (gold smuggling), 570 119TH INTERNATIONAL TRAINING COURSE PARTICIPANTS’ PAPERS Yusuf Patel (gold smuggling) and Karim paid in foreign countries through Lala (drug smuggling). During the “Hawala”. Land Mafia has political emergency in 1975, when there was a connections and indulges in land crackdown on the Indian Mafia, new grabbing, intimidation, forcible vacation, gangs emerged. Dawood Ibrahim, the etc. Of late, the ganglords of Mumbai most successful, came in conflict with the have started using Delhi as a place for Pathan gangs of Alamzeb and Amirzada hiding and transit. Chhota Rajan group is which led to bitter internecine gang strengthening its base in Delhi. warfare. The Pathan gangs were liquidated to leave the field free for Ahmedabad city has been a hotbed of Dawood Ibrahim. In 1985, there was liquor Mafia because of a prohibition increased police pressure which made policy (banning of liquor). The Mafia Dawood Ibrahim flee the country. In became synonymous with the name of March 1993, Dawood Ibrahim was behind Latif, who started in the mid-seventies as the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai in a small time bootlegger and grew up to which 257 persons died and 713 were set up a 200 strong gang after eliminating maimed. Public and private property rivals with intimidation, extortion, worth several million rupees was kidnappings and murders. He won destroyed. Investigation revealed the municipal elections from five different transnational character of the conspiracy, constituencies with strong political the objective of which was to cripple the patronage. He was killed by the police in economy, create communal divide and an encounter in 1997. spread terror in the commercial capital of India. Dawood Ibrahim, Tiger Memon A boom in construction activities in and Mohammed Dosa are presently Bangalore city has provided a fertile reported to be operating from Dubai. breeding ground for the underworld. Their field of activity primarily extends to Builders are used for laundering black extorting money from builders and film money. Forcible vacation of old disputed producers, mediating in monetary buildings is a popular side business for disputes, and undertaking contract the underworld. The local gangsters in killings. The other major gangs of the State of Karnataka have connections Mumbai indulging in organized crime are with the underworld of Mumbai. One of those of Chhota Rajan (Drug Trafficking the Mumbai gang operations here is the and Contract Killings), Arun Gawli Chhota Rajan gang. (Contract Killings and Protection Money), Late Amar Naik (Protection Money) and Brief profiles of three major Choota Shakeel. transnational organized criminal groups are as follows: Organized crime exists in other cities too, though not to the same extent as in A. Dawood Ibrahim Gang Mumbai. There are several gangs Dawood Ibrahim group is the most operating in Delhi from neighboring dreaded mafia gang with countrywide State of Uttar Pradesh indulging in network and foreign connections. He has kidnapping for ransom. Om Prakash stationed himself in Dubai since 1985 and Srivastava, alias Babloo Gang of Uttar has indulged in drug and arms Pradesh, has been responsible for trafficking, smuggling, extortion and organizing kidnappings in Delhi and contract killings. His brother Anees Mumbai in which ransom amounts were Ibrahim looks after smuggling, drugs and 571 RESOURCE MATERIAL SERIES No. 59 contract killings, Noora looks after film channel). The power of this gang has financing and extortion; and Iqbal is in dwindled after his arrest. charge of the legitimate business which includes stock broking in Hong Kong. III. ILLICIT DRUG TRAFFICKING Anees is in legitimate business too, managing the Mohd. Anees Trading Illicit drug trafficking is the most Company in Dubai. His business significant transnational organized crime interests in India are shopping centres, which has become a serious issue hotels, airlines and travel agencies in confronting both developing and Mumbai with an annual turnover of developed countries. In most countries, about Rs.20000 million. Extradition of despite years of drug suppression and offenders from Dubai has not been prevention efforts, the cycle of drug possible since there is no extradition trafficking and drug abuse continues. If treaty with Dubai. Moreover, some of allowed to remain unabated, the drug these offenders have strong social links menace will considerably destroy the with politicians and other top quality of life of people and hamper personalities in Dubai. countries in their social, economic and cultural development. B. Chhota Rajan Gang Chhota Rajan was a member of the India is a vast country with land Dawood gang but parted company after borders extending over more than 15000 the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai. kilometers and a sea coast line of over He raised his own gang in 1994–95 which 7000 kilometers. India’s narcotic problem is reported to have a membership of needs to be visualized from its several hundred persons today. Chhota geographical situation. India is flanked Rajan himself is in a foreign country to on either side by two regions which are avoid elimination by the Dawood gang. internationally acknowledged as major His gang indulges in drug trafficking and sources of illicit opiates namely, South- contract killings. In collaboration with West Asia (Afghanistan and Pakistan) another local gang, he organized the and South-East Asia (Myanmar, Laos, killing of a trusted leader of the Dawood Thailand). Additionally, Nepal, a Ibrahim gang, Mr. Sunil Samant, in traditional producer of cannabis, both Dubai in 1995. herbal and resinous, fringes the country in the North. C. Babloo Shrivastava Gang Om Prakash Shrivastava in Babloo India is a traditional producer of licit Shrivastava is facing 41 cases of murder, opium for medicinal and scientific kidnappings for ransom, etc. He was purposes. It is grown in three states, arrested in Singapore in April 1995 on namely, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the basis of a Red Corner Notice issued by Madhya Pradesh under official control of INTERPOL and extradited to India in Narcotics Commissioner. A part of the August 1995. He has since been in jail but licit opium enters the illicit market in his gang continued to indulge in different forms. Although opium organized kidnappings and killings. The production is strictly under Government ransom amount is received by them in control in India, illicit poppy plantations foreign countries through hawala have been reported in some places. (alternative non-banking remittance Besides, there is illicit cultivation of opium in the hill tracks of some states.