The Armenian mafia (Armenian: Հայկական մաֆիա) is a general term for organized criminal gangs that consist of ethnic Armenians. In Armenia, the structure is organized in clans called yekhpayrutyuns (եղբայրություններ, brotherhoods).[3]
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| Founding location | Armenia |
|---|---|
| Territory | Armenia, Russia and post-Soviet states, United States, Australia[1] |
| Ethnicity | Armenian |
| Criminal activities | Extortion, racketeering, assault, contract killing, money laundering, bribery, embezzlement, tax evasion, drug trafficking[1] |
| Allies | Italian-American Mafia[2] Mexican Mafia[2] Russian mafia[2] Lebanese mafia Greek mafia Calabrian mafia[1] |
| Rivals | Azerbaijani mafia Turkish mafia Pakistani mafia |
International activity
Germany
In 2009 and 2011, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) launched the investigation against the Armenian mafia in Germany. At that time there was a suspicion of drug trafficking, which could not be proven yet.[4] In the meantime, the BKA found that there are at least two Armenian clans in Erfurt at war with each other.[5]
On July 13, 2014, two men were badly injured when two clans got into an argument in which shots were fired in Erfurt.[6] MDR Thüringen reported that after several months of investigations, the BKA arrested 31-year-old car dealer Arthur Z. and 26-year-old Karo S. on suspicion of drug trafficking, as during the raids, police discovered 35 kilograms of marijuana.[7]
The BKA's report on Fatil concluded that Armenian mafia really exists in Germany, possesses considerable financial resources together with other criminal groups from the former Soviet Union and poses a threat to the rule of law.[8]
On 7 November 2018, German MDR TV prepared to broadcast a 30-minute documentary film called "Godfather in Germany: The Armenian Mafia and Thieves-In-Law" about the existence of an Armenian mafia and its activities. A Berlin court issued an injunction against parts of this production and barred its broadcast.[9]
Armenian criminal groups in Germany were particularly involved in drug trafficking, counterfeiting, gambling, and the organization of illegal migration.[10][11]
France
French Gendarmerie with on-the-field support of Europol targeted suspects across France believed to be part of an Armenian mafia group involved in large-scale poly-criminal activities, including cigarette smuggling, extortion and money laundering.[12] Over 27 house searches were carried out in Rennes, Gap, St. Etienne, Nancy, Strasbourg, Haguenau, Reims, Chalon-Sur-Saône, Paris, Nantes, Limoges and Brest. As a result, 21 suspects were arrested, including an individual believed to be a high-ranking member of this mafia group. Some €23 000 in cash was seized at the premises, alongside over 2 000 packs of cigarettes, 23 kg of raw tobacco and 6 weapons.[12]
In December 2018, the French police conducted an operation codenamed VORS 69-01 against a criminal syndicate operating in France and Belgium, which included Armenian and Georgian mafiosi. The syndicate was involved in burglaries, drug trafficking, and document forgery. More than 300 police officers and aircraft were involved in the operation. Among those arrested were 9 Georgian citizens, two of whom were thieves in law.[13]
Spain
Spain's Civil Guard arrested 15 people in an investigation into tennis match-fixing.[14] Europol released information that 11 house searches had been carried out in Spain in which 167,000 euros (£151,000) in cash were seized, along with a shotgun. It added that more than 50 electronic devices, credit cards, five luxury vehicles and documentation related to the case were also seized. Forty-two bank accounts have also been frozen.[citation needed] Europol said in a statement that "A criminal group of Armenian individuals used a professional tennis player, who acted as the link between the gang and the rest of the criminal group". Spain's Civil Guard added that "once they got the bribe, the Armenian members went to the places where the matches were being played to make sure the player went through with what they had agreed, making the most of their imposing size".[14]
In 2018, National Police of Spain arrested 129 people from a Thief in law Armenian criminal organization, and carried out 74 house searches. Among the criminals arrested were 7 Thieves in Law, who were involved into drug trafficking, arms trade, tobacco smuggling, money laundering, corruption in sports bookmaking, and other property crimes committed throughout Europe. The suspects have close ties with tennis, beach volleyball, basketball, and hockey players who were bribed in at least 20 sport matches. The organization also had strong ties with other criminals who live along Europe, and used several dummy companies for their money laundering purposes.[15][better source needed] According to Pedro Felicio, Chief of EUROPOL´s Economic and Property Crime, that would be "one of the biggest police hits ever to this kind of criminal organizations"[16]
United States
In September 1995, members of the Armenian mafia were arrested by the FBI in North Hollywood accused of racketeering, extortion and other scams.[17]
References
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