Cyprus Sale Properties

Corruption. Corruption has been the most significant problem within Georgia's law enforcement agencies. Georgia's anti- corruption efforts continue to be hampered by the widespread tolerance of corruption within Georgian society. During 2001 the Government of Georgia formed a commission to reform the law enforcement agencies (so-called "power ministries"). The commission developed a strategy for reorganization that was forwarded to the Georgian National Security Council; however, no significant changes were made. In any case, none of these proposed measures can truly ameliorate the situation given the low wages of officials and poor standard of behavior from those in charge that nourish wide-scale, low level corruption. The new hope of eradicating corruption within the system emerged with the appointment of a new Minister of Internal Affairs, who has publicly and repeatedly announced his commitment to combating corruption and the trafficking ... [Read More]

J) Europe and Central Asia

French government narcotics data for 2000, released in the spring of 2001, show that the number of seizures, users, and traffickers in ecstasy significantly increased compared to any other drug. Arrests for the traffic and resale of ecstasy increased by more than 114 percent. The 2000 data show that arrests for crack trafficking and resale remained roughly the same. In 2000, the amount of heroin seized increased by more than 118 percent and there was a small percentage decrease in the number of arrests for heroin use or resale. Cannabis and ecstasy continue to be the most widely abused drugs in France. The number of arrests for cannabis trafficking or resale increased by 12.45 percent. ... [Read More]

J) Europe and Central Asia

The Dutch Opium Act punishes possession, commercial distribution, production, import, and export of all illicit drugs. Drug use, however, is not an offense. The act distinguishes between “hard” drugs that have “unacceptable” risks (e.g. heroin, cocaine, Ecstasy), and “soft” drugs (cannabis products). Trafficking in the former is prosecuted vigorously. “Hard” drug dealers are subject to a prison sentence of 12 years. When trafficking takes place on an organized scale, another one-third of the sentence is added (16 years). However, in practice it is rare for courts to impose maximum sentences, and it is typical to serve only two-thirds of a sentence, meaning that the maximum time served would be 11 years, even for the head of a major trafficking organization. Sales of small amounts (under five grams) of cannabis products are “tolerated” in “coffeeshops” operating under regulated conditions (no minors on premises, no alcohol sales, no hard drug sales, no advertising, and no “public nuisan ... [Read More]

Europe and Central Asia

Agreements and Treaties. Italy is a party to the 1961 UN Single Convention, the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances, the 1972 Protocol and the 1988 UN Drug Convention. In December 2000, an international conference was held in Palermo, Italy, for the signing of treaty on transnational crime. The treaty must be ratified by a quorum of 40 countries before it comes into force. This new treaty will strengthen governments against serious crimes, including drug trafficking, money laundering, trafficking of human beings and arms trafficking. As a member of the European Union, Italy participates in the Dublin Group, UNDCP Pompidou group, Europol, the EU Commission, and attendant committees and working groups.Cultivation/Production. There is no known coca bush cultivation in Italy. However, opium poppy grows spontaneously in the southern part of Italy and the island of Sicily. It does not present a threat due to the low alkaloid content. [Read More]

M) Money Laundering and Financial Crimes

Benin. Benin is not a major financial center. However, Government of Benin officials believe narcotics traffickers use Benin to launder profits. Although the exact nature of money laundering is unknown, Beninese officials suspect that the primary methods are through the purchase of assets such as real estate, the wholesale shipment of vehicles or items for resale, and front companies. In addition, some laundering seems to occur through the banking system. ... [Read More]

Romania

A small number of religious properties confiscated under past Communist regimes have been restituted under government decrees.  A law passed in January on nationalized buildings specifies that a different law will address the restitution of religious communal property; however, such a law had not been passed by year's end.  In many cases, religious minorities have not succeeded in regaining possession of the properties despite restitution by these decrees.  Many properties returned by decree house state offices, schools, hospitals, or cultural institutions that would require relocation, and lawsuits and protests by possessors have delayed restitution of the property to the rightful owners.  The Greek Catholic Church has made only limited progress in recovering its properties taken by the Romanian Orthodox Church after its forced merger in 1948.  Of approximately 2,600 properties to which it has claim, only a handful have been returned.  The Greek Catholics ... [Read More]

Money Laundering and Financial Crimes

(1) As DEA also points out, "In some cases, the agent (business) may represent a variety of remittance companies. When this is the case, the agent may suggest dividing the deposit, sending a portion with each of the represented businesses (companies). Thus, detection is increasingly challenging."Federal authorities at the conference also highlighted the recent growth of smaller independent remitters (beyond the more established Western Union and MoneyGram systems), particularly of those providing service to and from Mexico. DEA reported that although these remitters provide important legitimate services to migrant worker populations, the location of these businesses, "do not necessarily parallel the employment centers for these laborers. Rather, it appears that the agent locations are primarily located in states without regulations governing the money services industry." ... [Read More]