The Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office discussed the results of an inspection of compliance with legislative requirements in the detection and investigation of crimes committed by organized groups

A meeting of the prosecutor's office board was held under the chairmanship of the Prosecutor of the Vitebsk region, Vadim Sushchinsky. The meeting discussed the results of the inspection of compliance by law enforcement agencies with the requirements of the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On Combating Organized Crime", the criminal procedure legislation in the detection and investigation of crimes committed by organized groups, as well as the generalization of the practice of considering criminal cases of this category by courts.

The board meeting was attended by prosecutors of cities and districts of the region (via videoconference), heads of the KGB Directorate for the Vitebsk Region, the Department of Internal Affairs of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, the Seventh Directorate (for the Vitebsk Region) of the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, the Department of Financial Investigations of the State Control Committee of the Republic of Belarus for the Vitebsk Region, the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus for the Vitebsk Region, and the Polotsk Border Detachment.

It was noted at the board meeting that 29 crimes of this category were registered in the first 11 months of the current year. Almost half of them, 13, are crimes related to illegal migration and attempts by groups of foreign citizens to cross the state border. 12 crimes (or 40%) involve illicit drug trafficking. Another 4 crimes are fuel theft from overpasses, committed as part of organized groups, as well as related criminal offenses. A similar situation was observed in the past year, 2016.

Statistics show that out of the 29 crimes registered in the region in the current year, 17 were detected by employees of the Seventh Directorate (for the Vitebsk Region) of the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.

Another 10 crimes (under Article 328 of the Criminal Code) were detected by employees of the drug control and human trafficking counteraction department of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee.

However, there are shortcomings and omissions in the work to combat organized crime.

The work to suppress illegal encroachments on vehicles, where organized groups are most likely to operate, requires special attention.

Of no small importance in the work to counter

organized crime include preventive measures taken against persons with prior convictions, so-called "crime bosses," "overseers," and the like.

Furthermore, the analysis of crimes in the sphere of illicit drug trafficking shows that drug distribution is carried out in an organized manner using high technologies, via the Internet, and often the crimes are transnational in nature.

Under these circumstances, efforts to combat organized crime must be built with the involvement of specialists in high technologies.

The activities of youth radical and extremist formations, which are largely organized and unlawful in nature, also cause concern.

Based on the results of the board's work, a decision was made, which defines the priority areas of activity for law enforcement agencies in combating organized crime in the region. Each interested department has been given specific instructions on conducting organizational and practical measures for the prevention, detection, and suppression of the activities of organized criminal groups.

Department for Combating Corruption
and Organized Crime
of the Regional Prosecutor's Office