Clan crime in Lower Saxony: Raid causes outraged voices!

Clan crime in Lower Saxony: Raid causes outraged voices!

In the East Frisia region of Lower Saxony, police have organized an extensive raid to combat the form of organized crime known as “clan crime”. The police do not flinch and regularly report on the progress and challenges of these investigations. In this particular case, several suspects from different family structures were targeted, who are considered potentially criminalized, according to statements from Thomas Müller, an investigator with the Bremen police. Müller emphasizes that the term “clan crime” leads to people being pigeonholed based on their family circumstances without individual crimes being taken into account. Surnames such as “Müller” in particular could be stigmatized, which has led to a social debate about the definition and use of the term.

The definition of the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior describes clans as criminal groups that are linked by family ties and common ethnic origins. However, this view has met with numerous critics who instead prefer the terms “organized crime” or “criminal gang” to capture the complexity of the issue. NDR reports that beyond the investigation, social aspects such as discrimination and stereotyping also play a role.

The dangers of clan crime

The phenomenon of clan crime is not just an issue for Lower Saxony. Interior Minister Herbert Reul from North Rhine-Westphalia has already launched a nightlife raid to uncover connections between clans and the bouncer scene. His statements make it clear that social order is threatened by this crime. The spectrum ranges from mass brawls to jewelry thefts and robberies, which underlines the focus of the fight against clan crime. Deutschlandfunk informed that North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin also play an important role in the focused measures to curb clan crime.

The list of crimes attributed to clan crime is long and includes, for example, incidents such as the theft of a gold coin from the Bode Museum in Berlin. According to an analysis by Mahmoud Jaraba, such incidents are often the result of familial crime that is highly organized and has a structure that goes far beyond individual crime. Jaraba criticizes the term “clan” as misleading and argues that these large families are not homogeneous groups, which makes fighting crime even more difficult. According to Deutsche Welle Statistics show that a small percentage of all crimes are directly linked to clans, further fueling the current debate about the stigmatization of ethnic groups.

The dilemma of investigation

The police strategy, often referred to as the “policy of 1,000 needle pricks,” aims to carry out regular checks in numerous areas, such as shisha bars or self-employed businesses. Police authorities set up so-called “clan flags” and use them to classify suspects, but this is repeatedly met with strong criticism. Political representatives emphasize that only the law of the state applies and not that of the clan, which raises questions about the fairness and effectiveness of the measures.

Despite the current challenges in the fight against clan crime, it remains clear that the majority of members of these families want nothing to do with crime and instead want an effective fight against crime. The debate about the right course of action continues as police adjust their course with forward-looking approaches and consideration of new societal insights.