Play@YSDC

OOC:   NB Andy's burn injuries are quite extensive in area (back, both arms, head) but probably not as bad as they might be vis depth, cosmetically they also look quite bad (on top of loss of hair if he has any etc)  

OOC:   Notes and intentions while in hospital.

Andy hadn't heard the names asked by the Police (well Albert did introduce himself) .... but he has to assume that they think those people were there and the names don't sound Albanian so they must have been in the car (he knows Albert has a big hole in his leg).

Andy wants to 'warn' the others that he's been asked about Albert and Jacob but he can't do so until he gets out of hospital and can check the site.

He'll feed back certain info to 'Jock' asking for info, hinting at a bigger story he could follow up on...

Info on Albanian Gangs, Prof Mathers  

OOC:   The last ten or so years has seen a drastic change in the Albania’s organised crime groups. Organized crime has its roots in traditional family-based clans. But after the collapse of communism in the late 1980s, and the events in the Balkans through the nineties and early twenty-first century they are showing a level of sophistication previously unheard of.

The gang's attitude to the rest of societies morals and laws has always placed them on the wrong side of the authorities; they were little more than bandit gangs who robbed the locals mercilessly. Built around the family unit or ‘fis’ the clans is patriarchal in nature and built upon a tradition of machismo and family loyalty.

The breakdown of Albanian central government in the late 90's, left swathes of north-eastern and southern Albania only nominally under government control, became virtual strongholds for organised crime.

After the collapse of communism in the late 1980s, the gangs found their business evaporating over night as border controls were relaxed and otherwise restricted items flooded over the border.

The collapse of Yugoslavia and the struggle of ethnic Albanian 'Kosovars' for independence for the Serbian-controlled Kosovo region initially Albanian gangs the among them established a lucrative trade running guns to the Kosovo Liberation Army.


Traditionally Turkish heroin entered Western Europe via Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, however as a result of the Kosovo war this route was effectively closed. The collapse of Yugoslavia meant the Turkish drug gangs needed to look for new routes to move their heroin into Europe. The Albanian's, with their existing smuggling routes and infrastructure found themselves in the ideal position to guarantee safe routes through the war zone and were happy to provide the Turks with both couriers and distributors, in return they learnt trade craft from the more established Turks.

The influx of money had a profound impact on the former bandit operation began to transform into something considerably more sophisticated, with its own heroin processing facilities, in house money laundering and a well-developed distribution system.

While fraught with risk smuggling arms and drugs had proved a profitable venture, the desire to make money was still strong they simply had to look for a cargo, which involved less risk; they found it in Kosovo where the violence continued unabated. People increasingly desperate to leave were willing to pay to get them out. Using the same network, they had developed for moving drugs, as well as links built with certain Italian gangs smuggling refugees across the Adriatic into Italy and Europe.

The end of the conflict in Kosovo saw thousands of Kosovar Albanians returning to their homes. High levels of unemployment and severe rural poverty in Romania and Albania coupled with the traditionally low status of women in the Balkans contributed to an explosion in the trafficking of girls and women from Albania, Rumania and elsewhere in the Balkans through Albania, Bosnia and Italy, to countries such as Belgium, France, Greece, Italy and the UK.

Albanian gangs seem to arrived in London around 2001, Albanian criminal groups struck a deal with the Maltese gangsters, who at the time ran the Soho sex industry in London, the deal allowed the Albanians to provide their girls to the existing brothels.

The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) who had always expected that after the collapse of the Soviet Union the Russian Mafia would make a bid to move into the British sex industry. The arrival of the Albanians watched with a great deal of interest expecting a violent struggle between Russians and Albanians.

But the Russian invasion never came. The Albanians had already admirably demonstrated they were just as ruthless and heavily armed as their Russian counterparts, the dons of the Russian Mafia might be hardened ex-cons from the Russian gulag but they are also extremely practical, fighting for part of London’s sex-tourism £12 million a year turnover simply wasn't worth the effort.

This is not to say the arrival of the Albanian gangs has not resulted in violence, blood feuds, which started in Albania, are continued in London. In addition there is some fear that when the turf is full then the situation is likely to change especially if as seems likely the Albanians will decide to cut out the Maltese and set up their own places.

Albanian gangs have rigid internal rules and rigorous punishments for betrayal.  

OOC:   Jock allows that he's happy for Andy to continue to follow up on the story (considering Andy is free lance, its no matter to Jock if he keeps following the story). Andy however is under no illusions that Jock will put his own stringer on the story though.  

OOC:   As soon as he is mobile(ish) Andy will try to get to see the girl and if possible ask some questions  

OOC:   Andy's initial efforts to see the girl are quickly rebuffed by the police, at the same time a passing member of staff adds hospital policy says family only.  

OOC:   Andy will look to get out of the hospital ASAP but not against medical advice.  

OOC:   Can I have a credit rating check please, failure in this case will not prevent Andy getting what he wants, its simply the difference between buying bricks or technology which he'd be happy to be seen in public with.  

OOC:   Is Andy going to pass this information onto the others its not yet public knowledge?  

OOC:   He will do - in his next update - will do some 'digging' on backgrounds first. Should I make some rolls?  

OOC:   It occurs to Andy that Liz may already have done a great deal of this research  

OOC:   Hmm not sure why this dissapeared the first time.  

OOC:   Can we have a date/time check?  

OOC:   May 22 2008  

OOC:   If you want to do anything before the events in the next thread. Please add to this thread and we'll tidy up.  

OOC:   Can we take it that Andy kept all his appointments? Will he need further treatments?  

OOC:   naturally, its really about remembering that Andy is a bit f*cked up, whereas in game terms he's now largely unaffected.  

OOC:   In that case before taking the train home to collect his car, he copies all his notes onto a memory stick and posts it (2nd class) to his parents address.
(been reading too many 'Jack Reacher' books recently)