"In May 2019, we presented the first situation report on clan crime in NRW. It shows: We have to show staying power in the fight against this criminal phenomenon in North Rhine-Westphalia. The task forces and investigators from the various authorities who deal with this issue on a daily basis know this.
We will shed light on criminal structures and enforce the state government's zero-tolerance strategy. The clans should no longer feel safe in their illegal dealings. We will demand more respect for all emergency services on the streets. The population should feel safer again.
In order to achieve all of this, we carried out over 500 control operations together with our partners from the local authorities and tax authorities between July 2018 and May 2019, during which more than 1,600 properties were searched. This strategy of constant pinpricks is producing results: During this period, the NRW police recorded around 700 criminal charges, 1,700 misdemeanor charges, 5,000 warning fines and almost 1,000 seizures in connection with clan crime. During the same period, our partners filed 2,800 criminal charges, misdemeanor charges or warning fines and carried out more than 1,500 seizures. Over 100 controlled properties were closed down immediately. In order to be able to prosecute the clans financially, we have set up a joint financial investigations task force at the State Office of Criminal Investigation. It will identify and combat illegal funds and cash flows.
I would like to thank all police officers and all partners involved in control operations for their dedicated and effective work.
This operation is far from over: the control operations are an indispensable part of the strategy to effectively combat clan crime. We are sending a signal to the criminal members of the family clans and the rest of the population: The rule of law sets the standards!"
