Human trafficking is a problem in Russia with a long history. Children and men are trafficked for forced labor in sweatshops and dangerous work. Russian organized crime engages in human trafficking and is deeply entrenched due to its roots in the Soviet prison system and later abuse of power. Today, traffickers face few risks while earning large profits exploiting immigrants. Efforts are needed to strengthen laws against trafficking and the criminal justice system while increasing international cooperation to combat organized crime groups that engage in human trafficking.

1. Human Trafficking in
Russia
Angela Williams
June Myskiew
Scott Johnson
CJ360 Organized Crime
Elizabethtown College
Barry Nelson, Facilitator

2. Tactical Briefing
June 12, 2012
1. The History
2. The Current Status
3. How To Combat

3. The History
Human trafficking
has not been
confined to the sex
industry, children
are trafficked to
work in sweatshops
Dirty,
Difficult, and
as bonded labor.
Men work illegally in
Dangerous

4. Ties to Organized Crime
• Russian organized crime has
come to plague many areas of
the globe since the demise of the
Soviet Union
• There is no universally accepted
definition of organized crime in
Russia
• Organized crime is deeply rooted
in the 400 year history of Russia
• Organized crime in Russia is an

5. • Ethnicity does not play a significant
role
• The soviet prison system is what
shaped the organize crime.
• in the Soviet Union , a professional
criminal class developed in the
Soviet prison during the Stalin
period that began in 1924
• Contemporary organized crime
grew out of the Soviet
“nomenklatyra” system( the

6. • Top of pyramid of organized crime
during the Soviet period was made
up of the communist party, and
state officials abusing their
positions of power and authority
• Economic range across a spectrum
of markets; white, gray- black, and
criminal. Markets roughly defined
by whether the goods and services
being provided were legal, legal but
regulated, or illegal; and by whether
the system for providing them was
likewise legal, legal but

7. Current Status
• Traffickers face few risks and can
earn huge profits by taking advantage
of large numbers of potential
immigrants
• Trafficking in women and children,
drugs, arms trafficking, stolen
automobiles, and money laundering
are among the most prevalent
• Since 1991, Russian law and the
criminal justice system have gone
through significant changes. Among
the changes relevant to organized

8. • Russian and New York mafia joined to
lure woman as strippers
• Organized criminal groups involved in
trafficking, groups are generally small;
no group seized in Russia has had more
than 20 members. Typical group has
only 10 members, not counting co-
conspirators based in other countries.
Syndicates like Solntsevskaya Bratva
don’t engage in human trafficking as
dealers, but as buyers of victims. They
are put to work in their casinos,
restaurants and brothels
• It is unknown exactly how many mafia-
run establishments employ trafficked

10. How To Combat