Latest news about crime and security in Russia. Information about the black market is collected from international organizations, intelligence reports, national security agencies and news articles.
According to a report by Oceana, the annual catch of Sockeye Salmon in Russia is estimated to be 60 to 90 percent higher than the reported levels due to illegal fishing activities. The illegal haul creates a loss of $40 Million to $74 Million.
Source: Deborah Zabarenko, “Fish piracy costs $10 billion to $23 billion a year -report,” Reuters, May 8, 2013.
An investigation by the WWF-Russia reports that half of the Mongolian oak that was cut down in Russia and shipped to China in 2010 was illegally logged. In 2007 and 2008, the illegal timber was four times as large as the legitimate trade.
In 2011, there were a reported 691 cases of illegal logging in Primorsky Province. 16 percent of the cases were brought to trial, the lowest level in 10 years.
Source: ”Russian forests and tigers left floored by illegal logging,” WWF, April 16, 2013.
Federal regulators in Russia state that the available data shows that the counterfeit drugs market in Russia is estimated to be between $750 Million to $3 Billion.
Back in 2005, Health Officials stated that fake medicine could make up to 20 percent of the drug market in Russia.
Source: Nathan Gray, “Report hits Russia’s lapses in counterfeit drugs fight,” Moscow News, February 25, 2013.
The court system in Russia handled about 1,000 cases concerning small bribery cases. The amount in these cases were lower than $330 (10,000 Russian Rubles).
According to the Supreme Court Chairman, 60 percent of the 1,300 offenders took less that $164 (5,000 Rubles), with 21 percent taking between $164 to $330 (5,000 to 10,000 Rubles).
22 percent of small bribe cases in Russia involved teachers and doctors in 2012.
Source: “Only 250 Russians charged with major bribery in 2012,” RAPSI, February 25, 2013.
Financial investigators in Russia estimate that up to $30 Billion (1 Trillion Roubles) is lost to tax evasion activities in Russia each year.
In addition to the tax evasion, an additional $48 Billion leaves Russia through illegal transferring of wealth to offshore bank accounts. A Governor of the Central Bank stated that transactions involving money laundering and illegal black market sales are a part of these activities.
Source: Howard Armos, “Russia loses £52bn a year in tax evasion and illegal transfers, says bank chief,” Guardian, February 21, 2013.
The total membership of organized crime members in Russian gangs is estimated to be over 300,000 people worldwide.
In 2010, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated there were 450 gangs within Russia with 12,000 members.
Source: Matt Quinton, “Don and dusted! The incredible graveyard of Russian gangsters killed in mafia wars,” Sun, February 19, 2013.
Police and Security Agencies across Russia arrested 88,000 people for drug trafficking and other drug-related charges within the country in 2012. Police also seized 85 tons of illegal drugs across the country during the year.
Around 8.5 million people in Russia are reported to be addicted to drugs.
Source: Stephen Blank, “Russia: Anti-Drug Trafficking Light Goes on in the Kremlin, but It’s Low Wattage,” Eurasianet, February 4, 2013.
The Federal Drug Service reported that it seized 106 tons of illegal drugs in Russia in 2012.
Almost 30 tons of the illegal drugs was marijuana, and 5.7 tons was opiates.
The amount seized in 2012 was 70 percent higher than the total haul in 2011.
Source: “Russia nets major drug haul in 2012,” RT, January 15, 2013.
In 2011, unauthorized timber activities in Russia generated 10 million cubic meters of logs and timber to China. The value of the illegal exports was worth $1.3 Billion, according to the Environmental Investigation Agency.
(See more statistics about crime in Russia.)
Source: Howard Amos, “Chinese Timber Hunger Drives Illegal Logging in Russia’s Far East,” Moscow Times, December 5, 2012.
The head of the Economic Security and Anti-Corruption Department stated that there are around 500,000 illegal gambling sites operating across Russia.
Source: “Interior Ministry proposes liabilty for visitors of illegal gambling dens,” RAPSI, December 5, 2012.
