Russia - Who are the thieves in the law?

Thieves in the Act - that the criminal community, exists only in Russia and the former Soviet Union and has no analogues in the world. The main signs of this criminal association - the existence of strict rules, the process of initiation, secrecy and conspiracy.

Thieves in the Act appeared in the USSR in 1930, with the beginning of Stalin's repressions. They called themselves «custodians of tradition» and was a non-rigid (as opposed to the political prisoners), opposition to state power.

Not respecting the country's existing laws which they strictly follow their own unwritten code of honor, and often acted as judges of the criminal world.

Traditionally, a thief in the law may be only a man with a criminal record, sufficient authority in the criminal environment in respect of which implemented a formal procedure for the adoption of the community. A thief in the law are not encouraged to marry. Also it is forbidden to enter into any relationship with the government: to serve in the military, law enforcement, enter the public service. The thief in the law has no right to promote judicial and investigative bodies, or to cooperate with the prison.

Thieves in the laws are not a single criminal group, different «clans» and «family» interact or conflict with each other. In 1990, according to the law enforcement agencies, there were nearly 1.5 thousand thieves in the law.

In recent days, Russian law enforcement agencies have begun to fight organized crime on a national basis. Shut down restaurants, a casino under the control of the Georgian criminal leaders. Indeed, only a rough estimate, thirty percent of the criminal Russian Business «belongs» Georgian «thieves in the law». But they did not have yesterday.

And if thirty years ago, they drew the same attention to, perhaps, today in Russia would not have been the most influential of the crime of ethnic «diaspora».

Thieves in the Act - this is the legacy of the Soviet Union.

By 1985, the period of restructuring the Soviet Union came with a strong and influential Georgian criminal diaspora.

Back in the late 70-ies of the last century in the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic in fashion and it was an honor to be a thief.
Extensive relationship joined the party bureaucracy and the criminal authorities. As a result, young people simply planted furtively tradition.
Money in the bank for thieves gathered in the republic, even in small coins! Naturally, such amounts do not have values. But it created a cult «brotherhood of thieves», and «the case of thieves». Reached the point that 25 percent of those surveyed in the years students have been told that the dream is to become a «thieves in the law».

Jaba Ioseliani, one of the most influential Georgian thieves in law 80, which was the right hand of President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze and a prominent political figure.

Today the Georgian avtority occupy major positions in the shadow economy across the European territory of Russia. Most Georgian thieves in law - in the city of Moscow - from 60 to 80 people. The second most important sphere of influence groups - Region of Krasnodar and Stavropol, from 30 to 50 of thieves in the law. Next - Tyumen region, in particular, Surgut, 30 thieves in the law.

Their specialty:
- Hijacking cars;
- Attacks on vehicles and their owners;
- Pickpocketing;
- Burglary;
- Theft of belongings from the car;
- Currency fraud;
- Real estate fraud.

Income from crime laundered into legitimate businesses controlled by criminal groups:
- Casino;
- Restaurants;
- Clubs;
- Hotel.

INCOME.

The monthly turnover of the Georgian criminal business:
- 25 million - in Moscow;
- $ 60 million - for the country

60 thieves in law live now in Moscow, 40 of them - the Georgians.
Press review by Old Man.