Citation

Lambropoulou E. Int. J. Sociol. Law 2003; 31(1): 69-87.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/S0194-6595(03)00002-9

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study examines the state of illegal markets and organized crime in Greece and public policy to confront it at a normative and practical level. Data were drawn from interviews with law enforcement officers, journalists and from official documents and media reports. No systematic research concerning criminal group activities, their characteristics and operations have been carried out in Greece. Available data point to an extension of group criminality and to the spread of crimes such as armed robberies, aggravated theft, human trafficking, kidnapping and drug trafficking. Because of its geographic position and long coastline, Greece functions as a transshipment route for heroin from Turkey, hashish from the Middle East, and heroin, XTC, and marijuana from South Asia. The increase in drug trafficking is not only attributed to the expansion of local networks and the increase in domestic consumption, but also to the activities of Albanian and Russian groups. Greek crime groups engage in the extortion of protection payments from nightclubs, retail shops and other legal businesses.

Keywords: Human trafficking

Language: en