BERLIN, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Security forces in Germany conducted another major raid aiming at dismantling networks of criminal syndicates on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the Bochum police told press that more than 10 premises were raided with the assistance of heavily-armed special forces in the Ruhr area and Saxony in the early morning hours (CET). Four brothers, aged 22, 28, 30 and 32, who are believed to be members of "Miri Clan", were remanded in custody on organized drug trafficking charges. The oldest sibling referred to himself as a "patron" and is viewed as the leader of the syndicate's operations in Bochum.
The Miri Clan, which sometimes also referred to as the Miri family, is a mafia-like criminal organization which has developed "far-reaching criminal connections within Germany" according to the police statement released on Tuesday. The group is estimated to have around 2,600 members in the northwestern city of Bremen alone which has traditionally served as its regional stronghold since the 1980s.
Aside from drug-related offenses, the Miri Clan has repeatedly been accused by German judicial authorities of violent crime and involvement in illicit arms trade and prostitution.
The raid on Tuesday followed several months of investigations into narcotics smuggling activities by the brothers.
