Publication

Cross-Border Crime in the Former Soviet Union

Author: Mark Galeotti

Abstract

"For you [Westerners], borders represent barriers and termini, for us they represent opportunities." (Chechen gangster, 1993)

From the assassination of a respected Russian television presenter to Moscow's guerrilla war in Chechnya, there have been numerous warnings indicating the extent to which crime has exploded in all the post-Soviet states. This is not only a problem of domestic politics, it has direct implications for the rest of the world:

for business executives looking towards investment and operation within Eurasia;

for insurance firms being called upon to make risk assessments in the region;

for financial institutions facing illegal money laundering operations;

for security analysts considering the potential dangers posed by the new gangs, and their trade in guns, narcotics and even nuclear materials;

for every Westerner faced with the implications of criminal penetration, from the eastwards flow of stolen cars to the impact of cheaper eastern drugs on the streets.

This fascinating contribution to the Boundary & Territory Briefings series offers a timely and concise assessment of the scale and implications of cross-border crime in, from and through post-Soviet Eurasia. Written by an acknowledged international expert in the field, it addresses both the activities of the criminals and their main theatres of operation, with maps and charts showing the 'soft borders' most at risk, the penetration of gangs from the former Soviet Union into Europe and their principal routes in Europe and Asia as well as the global 'criminal economy'. Its conclusions should be required reading for anyone seeking an informed assessment of the region's prospects.

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