Russian and Israeli Mafia in Goa

sgcarney

I'm an investigative journalist based out of Chennai.

A few years ago I was traveling through Goa and someone told me that the state is a hotbed of organized crime. I was told that drug two rival foreign mafias control drugs, prostitution and land deals and controlled hundreds of millions of dollars of illegal cash.

For decades, I was told, the Israeli mafia controlled the flow of drugs into the state but is being supplanted by Russian crime figures. Apparently there was a conflict between the two groups and some murders over the spoils. Supposedly now the Israelis control the flow of drugs and Russians control prostitution.

As far as I know I can only treat these as rumors, but was hoping that someone on these forums might know more about the situation. I'm interested in writing an investigative piece about the conflict between the two groups but want to be sure that there really is something there to investigate.

York Stiller

Oh, this story again. Yes, I heard of it too from someone who knows someone who is a friend of someone who..., well, if you really want to start a detailed investigation I guess, you have to go in situ and question dozens of people including police and politicians. Furthermore you would need some good whistleblowers, make contact with affected hotel- or restaurant keepers and find out about the hotspots of the alleged crime scene. De facto there were certain people from different Nations who in the past bought up hotels and properties massively, and this action has been monitored up to now by reason of apprehension it could be used as bases for drugs trade and money laundery. But from all I know, the fraudulent land deals are the only crimes proven in some cases.

Yet, you resolve a piece of work and I wish you good luck with your investigations, but I don´t think a forum in the www is the applicable platform for your research. And the only mafia I ever got to know in Goa is the TOURIST MAFIA spearheaded by Thomas Cook, TUI, Thompson Travel and Co.

Nick-H

Don't know anything about it, other than snippets told or quoted in this forum. If you go to the Goa property threads you can find links to Goa local papers online, although you may already be aware of them.

I do have the impression that it always seems to be politicians talking about this stuff. That doesn't necessarily mean it is not true, but they certainly talk about the thing that suit their aggenda.

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Piscesman

The best way to do it is go there, speak to people and decide I'd say. I heard various rumours, none particularly convincing, more entertaining conversation is my guess. I did hear the Russians were buying up a lot of property, with tangles to come e.g. the properties are being sold illegally and they will lose their money. As for the other stuff, I doubt the Goans aren't well ahead of the game where money is being made.

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patti123

I could write the same as York Stiller, "i know a friend who knows a friend " I think the Russians are into everything in Goa.Used to be the Nigerians ,but a lot of them didnt get their visa renewed so there are hardly any in Goa now.
You still have the Goan mafia , who i wouldn't think would let the Russians take over .
Its so corrupt in Goa, and i wouldn't want it to be known that i was looking into the corruption .I would tread very careful if i was you .

kidsan

very sound advice!

If there's drugs then there will be badness...one follows the other like a cart follows the ox, as they say

shashank.aggarwal

Well guys, the OP is an investigative journalist and I am sure he/she knows how to investigate ...

I guess the OP is looking for information that we might now..

btw..I have not heard it from anyone, however I have read about Russian mafia in Goa in a cover story that was carried out in Outlook several months back...and if a magazine of such repute carries out a cover story there has to be something in it..

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capt_mahajan

and it is not a rag

sorry, couldn't resist.

Economic Times: Goa closes in on foreign land ‘mafia’

Russian Ravers and the Mafia Mix-up in Goa

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machadinha

It's hard to choose, but take your pick: http://www.google.co.uk/search?as_q=... =&safe=images

For local papers, would suggest http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/india.htm , but I would assume the OP would be familiar with most of those.

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York Stiller

Hey shashank, shouldn´t you be seriously concernced then as the advocate of the Indian voice I got to know you in this Forum? And what would be your follow up as a countermeasure?

capt_mahajan, maybe it´s not a rag, but where is the evidence?

Macha, the choppy one chopped it once again. Could you chop the bad guys in Goa then as well, so we get rid of them for good?

sgcarney

Thanks for the advice. I'll check with the people at Outlook to see if that have any good leads for me. I was hoping that someone on this forum, however, might have had a personal experience that might shed some light on the goings on in Goa. I appreciate the advice you've given so far. I'm interested in hearing more.


If anyone has a tip that they want to send confidentially they can shoot me an e-mail at sgcarney AT gmail.com

Scott Carney

http://www.scottcarneyonline.com

machadinha

There's been talk of forming an IM hit squad, all your dire situations solved on the spot, no questions asked, prices negotiable

Nick-H

We seriously hope that none of our members have personal experience with any mafia!

York Stiller

Understood. Will run for cover while in Goa from Feb to March. But thought the price was all Goa or isn´t that what a mafia is about, absolute control? Go and check out every suspicious person anyway, and they´re all suspicious. Guess, it´s gonna be a hard holiday this season.

kidsan

well, i've watched every episode of the sopranos...does that count?