Crime in Estonia

Crime in Estonia includes both private and public sector crime.

Private sector crime

According to statistics published in Britain in 2008 about the period 1991–2001, the number of crimes increased by 84% from 1991 to 2001.^[1] The number of discovered drug-related crimes increased by 21 between 1997 and 2001.^[1]

Fraud

Aarni Neuvonen is the largest ever perpetrator of employment fraud in Estonia. He is known for having collected money with promise of overseas jobs from thousands of people and disappearing after having caused over (estimated) 10 million of EEK of damages in 1993.

The Common Fund

Main article: Obtshak

The Common Fund (Estonian: Ühiskassa) is a traditional umbrella organisation of criminal groups, a trade union of sorts which settles conflicts and establishes the boundaries of the spheres of interest of the various groups. In 2003, the Common Fund had been dominated for about 15 years by Nikolai Tarankov of Ukrainian or Belarusian heritage and KGB training.^[2][3] The Common Fund pays for lawyers of caught members, purchases and delivers packages to imprisoned members and covers other expenses.^[2]

In 2005, the Estonian Central Criminal Police noticed a decline in revenues of the Common Fund, leading to capture of several high-ranking members.^[4] The decline has been attributed to changes in Estonian society, particularly those experienced in the lead-up to accession to European Union.

Controlled substances

The illegal drug trade's turnover in Estonia according to 2008 estimates might be several billion EEK. According to the opinion of senior superintendent of narcotic crimes department at North Police Prefecture only 1% of the whole amount of drugs on the market is confiscated in Estonia.^[5]

Murder and manslaughter

An average of 9.4 people per 1000,000 per year were killed in Estonia between 1999 and 2001.^[1]

Human trafficking

Human trafficking in Estonia is a human rights issue and area of serious concern^{[citation needed]}. A 2008 report issued in the United States has found that human trafficking continues to be "a significant issue in Estonia."^[6] The American government has criticized the country for failing to meet the minimum human rights standards required to combat the problem."^[6]

According to Interpol, since the fall of the Soviet Union the largest group of prostitutes working in Finland has consisted of trafficked women from Estonia and Russia.^[7]

Crime of Estonian residents overseas

Jewellery robberies

In December 2006, it was estimated that residents of Estonia were responsible for 140 robberies of jewellery and watch stores in Finland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Sweden during the last three years. The value of the lost property is estimated to be 25 million Euros.^[8]

Public sector crime

Corruption

In 2008, Transparency International has measured the Corruption Perception Index for Estonia to be at 6.6 (CI 6.2–6.9), ranking it 27th in a list of 180 countries.^[9] In comparison, neighbouring Sweden was ranked 1st–3rd with a CPI at 9.3 (CI 9.2–9.4), Finland 5th–6th with a CPI at 9.0 (CI 8.4–9.4), Russia 147th–150th with a CPI at 2.1 (CI 1.9–2.5), and Latvia 52nd with a CPI at 5.0 (CI 4.8–5.2). Higher index means perception of more transparency and less corruption.

A total of 326 corruption-related offenses were identified and registered in 2008, considerably below the number registered in 2006, when 511 instances of corruption were found, but 17% higher than in 2007, and slightly higher than in 2003.^[10] These accounted for just 0.6% of all criminal offenses.^[10]

References and sources

1. ^ ^{a b c} Archer, Clive. New Security Issues in Northern Europe: The Nordic and Baltic States and the ESDP. London: Routledge, 2008. ISBN 041539340X, ISBN 9780415393409. P. 25.
2. ^ ^{a b} Eesti Päevaleht 11 February 2002: Kuritegelik sõpruskond keerutab ühiskassa miljoneid by Risto Berendson
3. ^ Eesti Ekspress 12 March 2003: Nikolai Tarankov — vaikne valitseja by Raul Ranne
4. ^ Eesti Ekspress 27 January 2005: Ühiskassa lahjad päevad by Janar Filippov
5. ^ Koovit, Kaja (2008-10-03). "Estonian narcotics market turnover exceeds EEK 5 billion". Baltic Business News. http://bbn.ee/Default2.aspx?ArticleID=2bbdfe03-5aeb-45f2-9cf0-1dc7f23ad5f3. Retrieved 2009-06-14. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Tubalkain-Trell, Marge. "U.S. Report Slams Estonia on Sex Trafficking". 18 June 2008. The Baltic Times. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
7. ^ Leskinen, Jari. "Finland Report 2002: Organised Pandering and Prostitution in Finland". March 2003. Interpol. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
8. ^ Kuusi kultaryöstöa kahdessa vuodessa, Helsingin Sanomat, December 20, 2006, page A13
9. ^ Transparency International: 2008 Corruption Perception Index
10. ^ ^{a b} "Crime in Estonia in 2008." Criminal Policy Studies No 10. Pp. 48-52 Tallinn: Ministry of Justice. Criminal Policy Department. 2009.

• Organised crime situation report 2001 at www.coe.int/ (Council of Europe)

External links