VIENNA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The number of gang-related criminal activities in Austria is on a strong increase, rising by 40 percent in 2016 compared to the year before, the Oe1-Morgenjournal radio program reported on Thursday.
The new figures were provided by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BK). The gang-realted criminalities are defined when a group of three or more persons engage in an illegal activity. That typically includes drug trafficking, robbery and protection money racketeering.
Andreas Holzer from the BK said while much of the criminality originates from the Western Balkans and other parts of eastern Europe, the massive influx of refugees that began in 2015 has also contributed.
Holzer added the gang criminality is often highly organized.
In the case of protection racketeering, it is also difficult to track, as it can often be contained within ethnic communities. Holzer urged those affected to report to the authorities. Enditem
