Court officials say an Albanian man has been sentenced to life in prison for leading a major drug ring and involvement in seven murders.

Alfred Shkurti, 45, was convicted Monday of ordering six murders and personally committing a seventh as head of a gang active in Albania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Romania, which trafficked drugs to western Europe.

The victims were described as rival gang leaders and local businessmen.

Court officials said Shkurti was also convicted of weapons offenses and destruction of property.

He had initially been charged with ordering more than 20 murders, as well as several kidnappings and desecration of graves.

Shkurti was arrested in Turkey and extradited to Albania in 2009 on an international warrant.

Suspected drug traffickers and money launderers will be prosecuted by a new unit dedicated to taking organised crime gangs off Scotland's streets.

The Crown Office said its Serious and Organised Crime Division (SOCD) will focus on those profiting from organised crime.
About 50 specialist staff based in Edinburgh and Glasgow will work on cases involving serious fraud, money laundering, drug and people trafficking and bootlegging.
The division, launched on Thursday by the Solicitor General, is also tasked with seizing cash from criminals under Proceeds of Crime legislation.
Frank Mulholland QC said: "Organised crime groups are a corrosive influence in Scotland and are constantly seeking to find new opportunities to sustain their businesses by way of drug dealing, bootlegging, music piracy, money laundering and people trafficking to name but a few.
"To meet this challenge we must continually evaluate and improve our practices and procedures allowing us to be forward thinking and focused and remain one step ahead of those who see crime as way of life.
"I am confident that this new division with its dedicated specialists will be very effective in tackling serious and organised crime in Scotland."
Deputy chief constable Gordon Meldrum, director general of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA), said: "I welcome any new measures that aim to make life more difficult for serious organised crime groups.
"We already have excellent links with the Crown Office, as well as a range of other partners.
"This new dedicated team will make our partnership even stronger and our collective efforts against serious organised crime more effective."

if-you're-indicted, you're-invited soirees.

In another era, it would have been considered one of those if-you're-indicted, you're-invited soirees.

The VIP list for the Las Vegas Mob Experience gala Tuesday was dotted with names from the days when casinos served as ATMs for organized crime.

Not since the Tropicana's opening night April 4, 1957, have so many prominent underworld names gathered under its roof.

More than 1,500 were invited for this mob scene, including relatives representing the who's who of infamous hoodlums.

Introductions were rife with the potential of awkward moments.

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel's daughter Milicent was there. So was Cynthia Duncan, the step-granddaughter of Meyer Lansky, the Mafia's financial mastermind who reportedly ordered the hit on Bugsy.

Carl Manno, meet Nick Micek.

Manno is the grandson of Chicago crime boss Sam Giancana. Micek is a descendant of Chicago's Aiuppa crime family. Investigators believe Joe Aiuppa had Giancana knocked off.

Also on the guest list: Nancy and Vincent Spilotro, the wife and son of former Las Vegas hitman Tony Spilotro, who, in turn, was taken out by fellow mobsters.

On hand to represent another mob generation: Frank Vincent and Tony Sirico, who starred in "The Sopranos."

Fans of Martin Scorsese's "Casino" will recognize Vincent as one of bat-wielding hitmen who whacked Joe Pesci's character, which was based on Spilotro.

Also among the eclectic gala crowd: longtime New York Post mob reporter Jack D. Fox, Associated Press special correspondent Linda Deutsch, who has covered many of the most notorious U.S. trials over 40 years, and Edie Lederer, AP's chief U.N. correspondent , who was in town celebrating her birthday

Police claim that Organised Crime Squad officers approached the men as they sat in the vehicle at a service station on Thomas Road in Kwinana.

Two men have been charged with several offences after they were allegedly stopped with a stolen BMW yesterday.

Police claim that Organised Crime Squad officers approached the men as they sat in the vehicle at a service station on Thomas Road in Kwinana.

Police allege that as the officers approached the car to talk to the two men the driver ran into nearby bushland.

The 33-year-old man was later detained and the 22-year-old passenger was also arrested.

When the officers searched the 22-year-old man they allegedly found a stun gun.

Police say a search of the nearby bushland also revealed clip seal bags containing methylamphetamine.

During a search of their Cannington residence, officers found a quantity of ammunition and a bag of drugs, similar to that found in the bushland.

The 33-year-old man has been charged with possess methylamphetamine with intent to sell or supply, stealing a motor vehicle and no driver's licence.

He will appear in the Rockingham Magistrates Court later today.

The 22-year-old man will be charged by summons with possessing a prohibited weapon, and will appear in court at a later date.

Havard spent the past seven years in an English jail after his 2004 arrest or involvement with a global identity theft ring with ties to Russian organized crime. Havard, when he fled Texas, had pending state charges that included drug dealing, engaging in organized crime, counterfeiting of IDs and aggravated robbery.

A former Southern Methodist University student who fled the U.S. nearly a decade ago has pleaded guilty to passport fraud.
A federal judge in Dallas on Tuesday accepted the plea from 28-year-old Douglas Havard and ordered him to be sentenced June 20.
Havard, who was extradited this month from England, faces up to 10 years in prison.
Investigators say Havard spent the past seven years in an English jail after his 2004 arrest or involvement with a global identity theft ring with ties to Russian organized crime. Havard, when he fled Texas, had pending state charges that included drug dealing, engaging in organized crime, counterfeiting of IDs and aggravated robbery.
The Dallas Morning News reports defense attorney Paul Coggins says Havard is doing all that he can to accept responsibility.

Police have seized $35 million worth of goods since a new law came into effect in 2009.

In the latest Ten One magazine, police said the assets were "restrained" under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act.

Of the $35m, $21m was linked to organised crime groups.

Restraining property under the Act is usually done before it is forfeited to the Crown although the Act also allows property to be forfeited without being restrained.

Police said property worth $5.1m had been forfeited under the Act.

Last month nearly $2.5m in drug money was forfeited to the Crown.

The money was found by detectives searching a foreign exchange shop in central Auckland in 2006.

It was restrained under old law before the new Act came into force but was forfeited to the Crown at a hearing in the High Court in Auckland last month.

Police said the new law allowed property to be forfeited without a criminal conviction.

The police national manager of the Financial Crime Group, Superintendent Peter Devoy, said it was satisfying for police to see the new Act working.

"This is just the beginning. There will be a lot more to come," he said in Ten One.

Organic food fraud: One in six restaurants lie about the origin of their offerings | Mail Online

Organic food fraud: One in six restaurants lie about the origin of their offerings | Mail Online: "Food stores and restaurants have been accused of misleading their customers by claiming to sell ‘organic’ or ‘fresh’ produce.

A survey by trading standards officials found that one sixth of outlets were charging more for menu items by claiming the food had a higher nutritional value than it truly did.

Among the worst offenders in the inquiry was a restaurant that claimed to have cooked dishes with fresh mozzarella but actually used economy cheddar while another outlet advertised ‘home-made pies’ which were really purchased from a nationwide wholesaler."

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