Organised Crime - Mafia Business in Poland

Everyone I talk to about small businesses in Pl talks about organised crime - mafia types. How bad is this in Poland ? Is it just protection type rackets, local "tax" type things. How much of a hassle is it when starting up a business ? Any particular areas worse than others ? I am thinking of the Gdansk bay area in particular.

Organized mafia that harass Polish businesses is a BIG problem in Poland. It seems the businesses in the best locations (like shopping stores, currency exchanges, all kinds of agencies, even law offices) are prone to mafia and are expected to pay a fee to be "protected" by them. Sometimes even legal companies force the company owners to pay them to be "protected" - if they don't, they may have their business arsoned or even worse.

The Polish police must do something about that - but the problem is that the police is said to be corrupted too.

just have enough $ to grease a lot of palms and you should be in business. lol

Yes, I heard that too. I suppose to a certain extent its just accepted then ?

BS. Something like that happens only in cases of brothels, night clubs involved in illegal things etc. Generally small crime pays to bigger crime.

BS? Then what can you say about guard companies that have sprung like mushrooms in Poland? Some if not most of them were established by the former milicja officers. Some of them even blackmail the owners if they don't want to renew their services...

I think it's a Polish sensation on the world's scale that there are so many guards seen in businesses or stores (not to mention banks). Go to an expensive store in a city downtown and you are likely to be invited by a guard... One private guard or more per one store or city business location is weird...

government=legal mafia. whenever you hear of government busting a mafia ring it just means that they are rubbing out the competition...

You're trying to be funny ?

I don't know but you could ask davidpeake, I know he own's his own business in Poland.

No, but sometimes I think you have never been abroad and only know other countries from articles. Go to a store (even the biggest and most expensive) in the US and you won't notice a guard starring at you as if you wanted to steal something.

I agree with G

I dont pay any money for mafia (I m business owner), and all business owners I know dont do it I think it is mostly problem of (like G) other illegal busniesses.

I have to admit that in 90's it was real problem for small business owners ... but now it isnt

Sometimes I think that you've been eating too much American food.

it cracks me up that the alcohol is kept in a closed section in many supermarkets... its almost as if they expect people to steal it...!

OK - so I am getting mixed picture from the forum.
The friend I spoke to in PL does import/export and so has dealings with the docks. Harbours and docks throughout the world are known for scams etc I suppose.

The other person I spoke to had their own plumbing business and after installing a new bathroom the customer just said "thanks" and didnt pay him. When he asked again he got a visit from some people.

Maybe its not as bad as I first thought.

No one says that there's no crime in Poland but there's a difference between usual crime and saying that business owners have to pay some "tax" to mafia.

That was just a scam to get a free bathroom. Some 'heavy' laying down the law.

In the past it was bars and night clubs. Other groups dealt with cars.

exactly

did i ever mention car thefts in poland back in the 9Os...?

yah yah, we've all heard the stories

oh, sorry... have you heard it all before...?

Ever been to China Town in NYC? When you have a chance, take a stroll along Canal Street.