Criminal organizations are poised to capitalize on weaknesses in an economy ravaged by the coronavirus.
“The virus has demonstrated that it doesn’t respect frontiers, and the mafia has demonstrated that it doesn’t either,” said General Giuseppe Governale, head of Italy’s Anti-Mafia Investigative Directorate (DIA), an FBI-style multiforce agency. “It is like water, it moves wherever there is a gap.”
The mafia has a specific playbook for profiting from moments of crisis.
Italy’s crime syndicates, especially the ’Ndrangheta, which controls much of Europe’s lucrative cocaine trade, will be looking to offer liquidity to troubled companies in exchange for shares, said Maurizio De Lucia, the chief prosecutor in the Sicilian city of Messina.
“The mafia offers a loan to a business owner who needs money. He knows who he is dealing with but thinks he can manage the situation. He is mistaken,” said De Lucia, describing what he called “the method.”
The mafia typically then asks the business owner to hire someone, a favor the owner can hardly refuse. “This person then starts to give orders, changing products or arranging a renovation,” said De Lucia. “The owner protests, saying it is his company. But he is told, ‘Not anymore.’”
The owner is turned into a prestanome, or front man, for the mafia, which benefits from his relationship with the banks, and his books.
The mafia has already infiltrated the German economy and has a strong foothold in Spain, mainly in hotels and tourism, according to Pignedoli. There have also been infiltrations in France and Belgium.
Some criminal groups are also developing new activities to exploit the emergency, according to a report by Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency.
You can read the entire article here: Mafia plots post-coronavirus pounce
Source: Politico
I am and will always be a proud Customs officer.
There are many stories about the customs family, that people are connected with a specific bond.
Customs guard our borders, 24/7 all days of the year. To protect and serve. This what we do.
I can only verify that this is very true having worked for more than 30 years as a Customs official. I have visited 169 countries and I have worked in 125. Everywhere I have been I have met amazing colleagues, people ready to give their lives to fulfil their mission. To protect others.
This creates a special brother- and sisterhood. The Customs family. If you once have been in you are always a member.
The United Arab Emirates Federal Customs Authority (FCA) has introduced a novelty, which is the first unified system for licensing the Customs Inspection Profession.
It envisages to develop the customs inspection system, upgrade the inspectors competency, enhance control at the customs border posts and support the UAE competitiveness in the international indicators.
The customs inspector or officer, is a UAE natural person, authorised by the Customs Department, according to the standards approved for the performance of the customs inspection profession.
The customs inspection profession licensing system, aims to reorganise, develop and enhance the customs inspection profession in the UAE and reinforce the sense of security and customs for the customs inspectors and officers. Also to unify the standards and procedures, required for the employment, training and licensing of the candidates to assume the customs inspection duties.
A unified database shall be established for the customs inspectors and officers in UAE and the best international practices and standards shall be applied in the customs inspection sector.
Source: GulfToday
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