organized crime

Vyatcheslav Ivankov, known as “Little Japanese”, founded the Solntsevskaya organization in 1980. He is one of Russia's most feared and infamous criminals.
Sergei Mikhailov is the current leader, but he is being held in Switzerland by local law enforcement.

Another large mafia organization is the Obshina, which is composed mainly of Chechens. They are your basic dirty mafioso. Kidnapping for ransom, robbery, etc...

In the last five years, 95 bankers have been assasinated in Russia. The mafia has taken control of the main banking systems, and now controls 40% of the nation's wealth.

Current sphere of influence-

· Prostitution

· Gambling

· Drugs

· Illegal financial transactions

· Protection

· Usury

· Contraband

· Uzbeki drug trafficking to Finland

· One of the most dangerous extortion gangs. The group is headquartered in Tambov, 200 miles from Moscow.

· Active in Moscow and St. Petersburg

· Led by Vladimir Gavrilenkov

· Obshina is one of the largest and most important groups of organized crime in the former Soviet Union.

· It’s sphere of influence extends from Vladivostok to Vienna. Chechen gangsters are involved in all areas of crime from automobile theft, money laundering, the trafficking of Chinese immigrants to Japan, to the illegal sale of plutonium.

· Led by Nikolay Suleimanov

· The Azeri mob also manages the narcotics trade in Moscow.

· Illegal drugs is the stock and trade of this group.

· Agricultural products and arms to Iran.

· Bribery, smuggling, and bank fraud.

· Drug trafficking, cement and scrap iron to China.

· Dealing in nuclear material of Russian origin.

· Oil to Serbia.

· Artillery for the Balkan War.

· Russian, Chechen and Uzbeki gangs divide prostitution, gambling, money changing, drug trafficking, protection, and parallel market of food.

Currently, 70-80% of all private business is controlled by the Russian Mafia.