Introduction
Researches have revealed that; organized crimes in Russia are very common in which various anti-social activities have been very eminent in the Russian black market including the Mafia movement. Currently, the level of crimes in Russia in its market operations in the black market has grown so high to an extent that, it has adversely affected its general economic status. On this regard various anti-social activities in the Russian black market have been reported like prostitution, theft, conning and remarkably smuggling. In this paper, a critical applause of smuggling in the Russian black market would be made so as to asses to what extent this anti-social activity has affected the overall economy of Russia (Fredman 72-100).
Perhaps, the tradition of smuggling in Russia started early, during the onset of long distance traveling by business people from one nation to another. More specifically, smuggling was initiated by the tradition of nomadic practices between Israel and Russia. Afterwards, the practice was projected to Dubai when capitalists stated engaging in the money market and thereafter leading to prostitution instead of initiating mark-ups. Initially, the level of smuggling in Russia was low from the general and outward overview but it was internally instilled among various government officials. It was then afterwards when the level of smuggling sunk so deep and openly practiced in Russia that, nobody cared its general impact to the general economic conditions of the country; provided he or she was satisfied in his/her actions.
As time went by, drug trafficking in Russia became a very eminent activity where capitalists started engaging themselves in smuggling of drugs from Russia to Arabic countries. From the economic point of view, this smuggling of drugs from one Russia to other countries affected the general money circulation within the country’s territory. As such happened, the level of inflation went so high that; the general economic conditions became very devastated. In other words, the amount of money that was entering the country unnoticed went so high that, the value of the Russian money depreciated. In fact it was reported that, the amount of commodities smuggled into the black market constituted of a third of the general market value of transactions in the overall market.
Certainly various factors have been revealed to have contributed to the overall smuggling in the black market in Russia. These factors have been reported to have been existing in the entire Russian market system; which results into the ultimate crimes found there. As various researchers speculated, the organized smuggling and its accomplishment in Russia was to worsen over a period of years in which the practice would so deep-rooted that; it would look as if it is a normal and legal way of earning money. In this regard therefore, the existence of the organized crime prevailed as long as people were profit driven regardless of whether breaking the law or not (Glenny 67-109).
The main factor that has contributed to the development of smuggling in the Russian black market is the social integrations and the urge to fulfill personal desires. As revealed in various researches, “cross social taboos to fulfill personal desires” was one of the main factors that led to the development of smuggling in Russia. In this perspective, many people were very willing and eager to earn huge amounts of profits under all circumstances. Being profit driven, many business men/women became so corrupt in their dealings that; smuggling became just a ‘normal way’ of earning an income (Semyonov 38-77).
Certainly, the black market in Russia became the center of corruption resulting into many dealings of smuggling; in which many government officials were involved. During the time when the general economy of the Soviet was declining, many government officials took the opportunity of engaging into corrupt deals as long as they earned good profits for themselves. During that time, the money market was reported to have undergone the worst fluctuations in terms of currency value and standing.
Being an illegal activity, drug smuggling in the Russian black market became so much deeply rooted that; nobody cared the impact it would have on the general economy, provided he/she earned huge amounts of profits (Glenny 67-109).
Nevertheless, poverty played another crucial role in the enhancing and propelling smuggling in the Russian black market. Due to lack of money for sustaining basic needs and life requirements, many people started engaging in unlawful practices which sunk deeper slowly by slowly, resulting into the current high level of crimes in Russia. In this case, poverty can be described to be one of the main causes of unlawful practices like prostitution and theft among others in which its subsequent result was smuggling. Further, the great greed for money was reported to have caused many deaths of people as a result of robbery with violence and failure to pay debts. In this case therefore, the lack of money by poor people contributed to the high levels of smuggling experienced in Russia over the last few decades (Serio 12-68).
More so, the distrust of authorities was another factor that was reported to have contributed a lot in the enhancement of smuggling in the Russian black market. As it happened, many government officials organized for drug smuggling in which they earned a lot of money as they held the legal power concerning such activities. In fact, the great desire and greed for money, a condition called kleptomania, seemed to overrule such government officials as they intensively engaged in smuggling activities without considering its general impact to the economy (Glenny 67-109).
Generally, the lack of commitment by government officials in dealing with crimes as well as being not part of criminals enhanced the deepening of the organized crimes in Russia. By so doing, many people got used in that life of getting money out of no sweat and at ease through getting into corrupt deals; which thereafter contributed to the intensive level of crimes in the black market in the Russian economy. As it has been observed, the general demand for money at the times of old Soviet contributed to the general development of corrupt deals, remarkably smuggling, in the general Russian black market (Semyonov 38-77).
However, the corruption involved in smuggling in the Russian black market can be controlled by employing several policies into the entire system. More specifically, the Russian government ought to reinstate its governance structure and formulate rules and policies which would govern the operations in its black market. By so doing the levels of crimes in the entire black market in Russia would be reduced leading to the growth and development of its economy (Michael 19-40).
First, the governance should be modified by creating a trustworthy government which would fight against social crimes severely. This is to mean that, the Russian government should be restructured through acquiring trustworthy governors whose aim would be to ensure the reconstruction of the devastated economic conditions as a result of smuggling and other social evils. On this basis, further corrupt deals would be minimized as the government would be devoted in fighting against corruption in the country which would lead to a better economic status of the country. The government should also put severe punishment for people involved in smuggling activities either by heavy fining imprisonment among others (Glenny 67-109).
More so, the level of poverties should be reduced through employment of various programs whose aim would be to alleviate poverty among the people in Russia. In this case, when the fight against poverty is accomplished, then the high demand for money so as to cater for basic needs would reduce; and by so doing the level of crimes in the society would be reduced. Perhaps, some of the main strategies to fight against poverty among the people include public work programs, delocalization of public resources and amenities so as to stimulate employment opportunities expansion among others. Generally, if the level of poverty among Russians is reduced among the people, low chances of corrupt deals and anti-social activities in the country’s black market would decline (Fredman 72-100).
Conclusion
As it has been revealed in the Russian black market, organized crime, remarkably smuggling, has been influenced by the great desire and greed for money among the people. In this case, corrupt government officials, poverty and corruption among others have been found to be the chief contributors of smuggling in the Russian black market. Certainly, the high levels of crimes in the Russian black market can be reduced through acquisition of trustworthy government officials and development of work programs to reduce poverty levels among the nationals in Russia.
Works cited
Fredman, Robert. “The Red Mafia”. London: Routledge Publishers. (2002):72-100.
Glenny, Mark. “McMafia: A Journey through the Global Criminal Underworld. Boston: Prentice Hall Publishers. (2006): 67-109.
Michael, Victor. “The Wild East Crime and Lawlessness in Post Communist Russia.” London: Macmillan Publishers. (2005): 19-40.
Semyonov, Julian. “Economic Crimes in Soviet Russia”. New York: Routledge Publishers. (2007): 38-77.
Serio, Joseph. “Investigation in the Russian Mafia”. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (2008): 12-68.