After a recent high-profile killing, Croatia faces questions regarding its ability to confront organized crime within its borders. From Time Magazine: The damage from last Thursday’s bomb-blast in downtown Zagreb that killed Ivo Pukanic, one of Croatia’s top media moguls, and his advertising manager Niko Franic, will not be confined to the casualties. The attack has cast [...]

Over 200,000 people have signed a petition in support of author Roberto Saviano, who is reportedly being targeted for death by Italian organized crime figures. From the Guardian: The petition, on the website of Italian paper La Repubblica, was prompted by an open letter to the paper from Nobel laureates Günter Grass, Orhan Pamuk, Mikhail Gorbachev, Dario [...]

The Los Angeles Times has a seven part series on organized crime in Los Angeles and the battles fought with the LAPD. Read part one here. See more about the series here.

The Vatican was forced to defend the Pope’s silence after he failed to mention organized crime in a recent trip to Southern Italy. From the Toronto Star: The Vatican yesterday defended Pope Benedict’s decision to avoid direct condemnation of organized crime during a trip to a southern area infested by the Camorra, one of its most ruthless [...]

The FBI announced that organized crime groups are increasingly drawn to cybercrime due to the ease in gaining personal information. From Reuters: Computer spying and theft of personal information have risen notably in the past year, costing tens of millions of dollars and threatening U.S. security, the FBI’s cyber division head said on Wednesday. FBI Assistant Director Shawn [...]

Authorities in Italy are looking into threats that the Naples Mafia is attempting to kill “Gomorra” author Roberto Saviano by Christmas.  From Reuters: Police in Italy are looking into reports that the Naples mafia plans to carry out its threat to kill the author of the best-selling book “Gomorra,” which has been made into a hit movie [...]

Leaders of the Japanese Organized crime group Yamaguchi-gumi are reportedly studying up aspects of a new law in Japan to protect themselves from arrest. From the Guardian: Japan’s most powerful gangsters are mugging up on legal terminology to skirt strict new laws that make them liable for crimes committed by their henchmen. The top three syndicates are thought [...]

Swiss Authorities are charging 10 people in laundering over $1 billion in a Mafia controlled cigarette smuggling ring. From the AP (via the Seattle Times): Switzerland’s top prosecutor charged 10 people with laundering more than $1 billion dollars during a decade-long mafia cigarette smuggling operation, Swiss authorities said Monday. The defendants - five Swiss, three Italians, a Spaniard [...]

The Italian Government has deployed federal troops to Naples to combat organized crime activities. From the LA Times: The Italian government Tuesday ordered the deployment of a military task force to fight a wave of violence by the Neapolitan mafia, which culminated last week in the slayings of six African immigrants in a suspected feud over drug [...]

Companies in the United States are pushing for new legislation to tackle the issue of organized retail crime in stores across the country. From the AP (via Portfolio): Companies including Walgreen Co. asked a U.S. House Committee on Monday to crack down on organized retail crime, but online retailers such as eBay Inc. said some of the [...]