Czech Republic: Update to CZE28113.E of 5 November 1997 on organized crime activities and the government's response

Organized crime activities in the Czech Republic are reported to be varied, involving "drugs, car trafficking and protection rackets" (AFP 23 Feb. 1998), movement of illegal immigrants (CTK 29 Dec. 1998; AFP 8 June 1998), stolen cars (Lidove Noviny 12 Aug. 1998), money laundering (Hospodarske Noviny 2 Apr. 1998; Lidove Noviny 3 Mar. 1998), embezzlement (ibid.) and arms smuggling (Mlada Fronta Dnes 10 Sept. 1998; Lidove Noviny 30 Sept. 1998). The Director of the North Pacific Centre of International Security Studies stated in a 12 April 1999 telephone interview that organized crime activities include prostitution and drugs, with arms smuggling also important as a result of the country's past involvement in arms production.

The Czech government is reported to have set up programs to deal with organized crime activities. A Securities' Commission (KCP) began operation in April 1998 to "combat money laundering" (Hospodarske Noviny 2 Apr. 1998). This source reported that past efforts to deal with economic crime had been "poor," but the government was confident that the KCP would be an effective complement to efforts by the Finance Ministry (ibid.). The Office for the Investigation of Organised Crime and the Office for the Investigation of Corruption and Serious Economic Crimes are mentioned in a 21 April 1998 CTK report. Without reference to specific programs, CTK reported on 24 September 1998 that Czech "security forces are getting ready for the possible arrival of a new wave of gangsters from the East." Programs planned by the Czech government to counter organized crime activities include "the introduction of visa requirements for certain eastern states" (Lidove Noviny 3 Mar. 1998) and what the Prime Minister described as "the Clean Hands program, which is not going to be a one-off campaign, but continuous activity oriented toward curbing the level of economic crime" (Pravo 28 Sept. 1998).

Czech government efforts at international cooperation on organized crime are reported to include signing an agreement with Bulgaria to "strengthen measures against illegal migration and organized crime" (Xinhua 18 Mar. 1999; BTA 20 Mar. 1999) and a "possible agreement on legal aid" with Lithuania (ELTA 13 Feb. 1998). In addition, the Director of the Centre for Russian, Soviet and Central and Eastern European Studies (CRSCEES) at the University of St. Andrews claimed in an 18 March 1999 telephone interview that the Czech government had made a "concerted effort with the Germans and the Americans to combat corruption."

There are also a number of reports of Czech police action against members of organized crime groups. These include the arrest of a "key figure of the Kosovar mafia" involved in drugs (Mlada Front Dnes 8 Aug. 1998; AFP 7 Aug. 1998), the arrest of five members of a gang involved in prostitution (CTK 23 Dec. 1998), the arrest of 19 "organizers" of an illegal immigration "network" (AFP 8 June 1998), the arrest of a Russian involved in the smuggling of "a large quantity of scrapped military equipment to communist North Korea and China" (Lidove Noviny 30 Sept. 1998; Mlada Front Dnes 10 Sept. 1998), as well as cooperation with Italian police in the arrest of an alleged Italian mafia member involved in stolen cars (Lidove Noviny 12 Aug. 1998).

Both Directors stated that corruption involving Czech government authorities does exist, but is at a much lower level than is present in the Russian Federation (18 Mar. 1999; 12 Apr. 1999). The Director of CRSCEES, whose speciality is the Czech Republic, stated that "corruption is not endemic" and that if a person, who is in fear of members of organized crime reported his or her concerns to the police, then they would be investigated (18 Mar. 1999). The Director of the North Pacific Centre of International Security Studies described the Czech Republic as a "post-communist state with some problems," but ones that are markedly different from those of the Russian Federation (12 Apr. 1999). However, he stated that the "Russian mafia" is involved in activities in the country and that the level of violence in Czech society has increased. Without reference to specific cases, he stated that there is some corruption present in the police forces, but that in a "cultural sense" Czechs are much less tolerant of corruption than Russians, pointing to events in 1968 and 1989 as examples of this difference. Documentary references to corruption include allegations by a government Minister "that the Security Intelligence Service (BIS) had intentionally ignored several cases involving economic crime before 1996" (Radiozurnal 5 Feb. 1999). An article in The Prague Post stated that since 1989 there have been only two successful prosecutions of "high-level corruption" that involved bribery (30 Sept. 1998). Furthermore:

The government, apart from the police department, didn't deal with the problem of corruption and economic crime until 1997. But pressure from unsolved "tunneling" cases prompted the government to establish, in April 1997, a special coordination team, with the intention of streamlining the fight against economic and financial crime.

Six months later, the team's head, Augustin Hrboticky, announced that it had fulfilled its task, and it was disbanded. Although the team claimed to have introduced several improvements, its work hasn't led to the resolution of a single case of consequence. Transparency International's 1998 Corruption Perception Index scored the Czech Republic 4.8 on a 10-point scale and ranked it 37th of 85 countries evaluated. The country stands just below Hungary, Tunisia (both 33rd) and Greece (36th), while it ranks above Poland (39th), Slovakia (47th) and Russia (76th) (ibid.).

For general information on the Czech Republic's political, legal, and justice systems please see Country Reports 1998 and pages 134 to 145 of the Czech Helsinki Committee Report on the State of Human Rights in the Czech Republic 1997 which provides an examination of protection in law and in practice. For information on how a complaint is filed with the Czech Police see the Issue Paper Roma in the Czech Republic: State Protection (Nov. 1997).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 7 August 1998. "Tchèques-criminalité: Arrestation de l'un des plus importants chef de la mafia kosovar."

_____. 8 June 1998. "Czech Clampdown on Asian Immigrant Network." (NEXIS)

_____. 23 February 1998. "Russians Killed in Czech Gunfight." (NEXIS)

BTA News Agency. 18 March 1999. "Bulgarian, Czech Premiers Sign Cooperation Declaration." (BBC Summary/NEXIS)

Centre for Russian, Soviet and Central and Eastern European Studies (CRSCEES), University of St. Andrews, Scotland. 18 March 1999. Telephone interview with Director.

CTK News Agency. 29 December 1998. "Prague Apparently Transit Point for Illegal Immigrants to Britain." (NEXIS)

_____. 23 December 1998. "Polish Gang Supplying Prostitutes to Czech Rep, Germany Arrested." (NEXIS)

_____. 24 September 1998. "Russian Mafia Still Active, Might Strike Again - Press." (NEXIS)

_____. 21 April 1998. "BIS Rejects Accusation of Inefficiency." (NEXIS)

ELTA [Vilnius, in English]. 13 February 1998. "Lithuania: Lithuanian Speaker, Czech Counterpart Discuss NATO, Ties." (FBIS-EEU-98-044 13 Feb. 1998/WNC)

Hospodarske Noviny [Prague, in Czech]. 2 April 1998. "Czech Republic: Czech Finance Minister on Gray Economy, Money Laundering." (FBIS-EEU-98-092 2 Apr. 1998/WNC)

Lidove Noviny [Prague, in Czech]. 30 September 1998. "Czech Republic: Czech Authorities Still Investigating Arms Export Scandal." (FBIS-EEU-98-273 30 Sept. 1998/WNC)

_____. 12 August 1998. "Czech Republic: Police Arrest Organizer of Trade in Stolen Luxury Cars." (FBIS-EEU-98-224 12 Aug. 1998/WNC)

_____. 3 March 1998. "Czech Republic: Czech Police Welcome Visa Plan for 'Certain Foreigners'." (FBIS-EEU-98-062 3 Mar. 1998/WNC)

Mlada Fronta Dnes [Prague, in Czech]. 10 September 1998. "Czech Republic: Daily: Arms for DPRK Exported as Civilian Car Spares." (FBIS-EEU-98-253 10 Sept. 1998/WNC)

_____. 8 August 1998. "Czech Republic: Police Detain 'Key' Kosovar 'Mafioso,' Seize Narcotics." (FBIS-EEU-98-222 8 Aug. 1998/WNC)

North Pacific Centre of International Security Studies, Victoria. 12 April 1999. Telephone interview with Director.

The Prague Post. 30 September 1998. Rene Jakl. "Few Ever Caught for Bribes." (NEXIS)

Pravo [Prague, in Czech]. 28 September 1998. "Czech Republic: Zeman Discusses Czech Economic Situation." (FBIS-EEU-98-274 1 Oct. 1998/WNC)

Radiozurnal [Prague, in Czech]. 5 February 1999. "Czech Minister Says BIS Failed to Deal With Economic Crime." (N/A 5 Feb. 1999/WNC)

Xinhua. 18 March 1999. "Bulgaria, Czech Republic Agree to Cooperate in Joining EU." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

Crime and Justice International: Worldwide News and Trends [Chicago]. July 1997 - June 1998.

Pointer: A Monthly Supplement to Jane's Intelligence Review and jane's Sentinel [Surrey]. July 1997 - December1998.

Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management [West Yokshire]. 1998 - 1999.

Resource Centre. Czech Republic country file. November 1997 - April 1999.

Transitions: Changes in Post-Communist Societies [Prague]. May 1998 - February 1999.

Electronic sources: IRB Databases, LEXIS/NEXIS, Internet, REFWORLD, World News Connection (WNC).