[Opinion] Russian Mafia

There is a saying that mafia is one of the three leading export items of Italy along with spaghetti and pizza. Mafia came from the word `mafie,` a kind of militia groups run by landlords in Sicilia when the island was in a state of chaos for centuries without the law in place. Mafias were able to persist through facing foreign forces, mainly because the islanders in Sicilia resorted to the vigilante justice done by the private groups instead of turning to insecure public justice. When they moved over to the U.S. in the early 20th Century, different sects of mafias waged bloodshed wars over dominance of the underground world of criminals. Since then, mafias became synonymous with criminal organizations.

Russian mafias began to take form in the late Soviet years when President Mikhail Gorbachev pushed for privatization of state-owned firms under his comprehensive market reform policy. After the end of cold war, the military and the KGB, Soviet Union`s powerful intelligence agency, let go many of its soldiers and agents, who were physically strong and knew well how to use guns. Rich businessmen who won bids for privatization projects then began to form their private forces by luring retired soldiers and agents, which soon turned into Russian mafias. The groups of mobs increased their presence rapidly and impressively before a new order came in place after the collapse of the old communist system.

Mafias, believed to run 40% of Russian economy, are often linked to corrupt government officials. The French Le Monde once disclosed the collusion between the Kremlin and mafias. It was widely speculated that Bladimir Putin, once a low-profile former intelligence chief, was able to ascend into the top position backed by the Russian mobs connected to former president Boris Yeltsin. Russian mobs began to break into the foreign markets after the 1998 currency crisis, and are now believed to run some 200 units in 58 countries worldwide, especially based in North America, South America Israel and Eastern Europe.

Nauru, a small island state in South Pacific that played a key role in North Korean nuclear scientists` detect to the U.S, is well known as a money-laundering base for Russian mobs. It is said that the amount of money they launder at the island is larger than the annual export earnings of Russia. Russian mafias, having committed such crimes as smuggling of drugs, weapons and women through Busan, a port city where many Russian ships come and go, recently waged a shooting rampage in a residential area. Among young women in swimsuit and dancing at nightclubs in Seoul, are many Russian girls connected to Russian mobs. And they are now seen as Russian imports that cause many headaches.

Hwang Ho-taek, Editorial Writer, hthwang@donga.com