Peru needs new laws to tackle organized crime,Peruvian Cabinet Chief Juan Jimenez said in a report by state news agency Andina.

In an unusual disclosure last week, Russia’s outgoing central bank chairman Sergei Ignatiev opened up about the billions of dollars Russia lost last year to the shadow economy. Russia saw $49 billion leave the country in 2012 by way of questionable transactions, and Ignatiev acknowledged in an interview with Russian newspaper Vedomosti that more than half of that had been moved “by one well-organized group of individuals.”

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has released its report: Transnational Organized Crime in West Africa: A Threat Assessment, detailing criminal developments in Western Africa[1]. The report highlights the diversification of crime in West Africa since the last Threat Assessment in 2009, focusing on cocaine, methamphetamine, and small arms trafficking. The report also discusses fraudulent medicines, maritime piracy, and illegal migration.

A report by Freedom House and the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) examines the danger faced by Mexican reporters, bloggers, and citizens utilizing social media as a tool against organized crime and corruption. The sample size of 102 journalists and bloggers is far from representative of the entire Mexican media, but the data is illustrative of the risks that people take to voice concerns, point out wrongdoing, and warn others of danger in Mexico.

The head of Indonesia’s ruling party has stepped down a day after the nation’s anti-corruption agency singled him out as a suspect in a graft investigation, according to Al Jazeera. The Corruption Eradication Commission accused Anas Urbaningrum, Chairman of the Democratic Party, of receiving illegal payments in connection with a sports complex construction project.

Businessmen with close personal connections to Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych have been linked to companies involved in what could be categorized as “large-scale embezzlement,” according an investigation by Ukrainian Pravda, reprinted in English by Slidstvo.

Serzh Sargasyan was re-elected as the President of Armenia on Monday after an election marred by accusations of voter fraud and electoral irregularities. Sargasyan’s main opponent, Raffi Hovannisian, has published a list of over 100 alleged voting irregularities reported from across the country on Monday. The laundry list of alleged activities include voter fraud, individuals voting in multiple zones, ballot stuffing, and the unwarranted disqualification of ballots, according to Armenian news website and OCCRP partner Hetq Online.

In one reported instance, an opposition representative was allegedly offered “ten thousand dollars to momentarily leave the room,” reported Hetq, who also noted complaints that some voters used incorrect or nonexistent permanent addresses. YouTube videos such as this one purport to show how to remove the voting stamp from an Armenian passport. If true, such a technique would allow for multiple votes.

In a letter accompanying the list of alleged irregularities, the Hovannisian campaign decried the “ultimate failure of the authorities to organize a free and transparent presidential election,” and called the proceedings  “a humiliating, scandalous election.”

On Tuesday morning, authorities were pursuing two criminal cases in connection to electoral crimes, according to Hetq.

In a press release, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) stated that the Armenian election displayed “clear improvements” over previous elections, according to the Head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) delegation, Karen Woldseth. The election was “generally well-administered,” but there were “areas where marked improvement is needed,” according to the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) as quoted in that press release . Milan Cabrnoch, the head of the European Parliament Delegation, conceded that the decision by several “major political parties” to not put forward candidates had led to a campaign devoid of “real competition” and “significant political debate.”

The Head of the ODIHR long-term election observation mission pointed out the presence in Armenia of biased public servants, due in large part to the continued “blurring of the distinction between the State and the ruling party.”

The statements by these international observers did not mention the alleged election-day irregularities reported by opposition candidate Hovannisian’s campaign.

The US-based security firm Mandiant has released a report detailing hacking it says was conducted by a cyber unit of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The report alleges that the group of hackers, dubbed Advanced Persistent Threat 1 (APT1), has been conducting cyber espionage “against a broad range of victims since at least 2006.”

The Australian Crime Commission (ACC) has unveiled a report titled “Organized Crime And Drugs in Sport”. The report is looks at the use of Performance and Image Enhancing Drugs (PIEDs) in multiple sports. 

PIEDs include a large category of drugs including certain peptides and hormones. PIEDs help the body heal more quickly, develop muscle more rapidly, and shed fat more effectively. However, there are various known side effects depending on the drug used, which can include serious damage to the liver or reproductive system. Despite these risks, demand for the drugs -- especially in the ultra-competitive world of professional sports -- remains high.

The ACC report states that their use is “significantly higher” than previously believed, and that organized crime is increasingly involved in the distribution of PIEDs. The significant profit to be made in the PIED market -- reportedly up to 140 percent --  means criminal organizations are likely to expand their presence in the Australian market.

Organized crime syndicates responsible for trafficking PIEDs also engaged in “money laundering, corruption, match fixing and fraud,” according to the ACC, which noted the development of ties between criminal entities and professional athletes.

A number of medical professionals, team staff, trainers, and coaches, as well as players, were also said to be involved in supporting a culture in Australian sport that condones, and often encourages, the use of PIEDs. The public version of the ACC report does not  name any teams, players, or officials involved in the distribution of PIEDs.

OCCRP Partner Re:Baltica's investigation on the non-commercial short-term lending market in Latvia highlights the dangers and pitfalls that await low-income customers in the quick-loan market.