The State Revenue Service Financial Police have unveiled the largest money laundering scheme in the history of Latvia involving tens of millions of lats. The Revenue Service informed the press that about 25 people were involved in the scheme. The scheme was uncovered in Riga and the surrounding district, and operated from 2008-2009. The Revenue Service informed the press that the ring was broken up by the State Police counter-terrorist unit "Omega" within the framework of a criminal case on evasion of taxes and laundering of the proceeds from crime. Pre-trial investigation in the case is ongoing.
Latvia has dropped to the 54th position in the Global Peace Index, down from its former ranking of 39th. The GPI, compiled by the Australian based Institute for Economics and Peace, decreased the ranking due to economic and political instability in the nation. Lithuania and Estonia also dropped, from 35th to 38th and from 41st to 43rd respectively. When placed together with Eastern and Central Europe, Latvia ranks 11th, with Slovenia coming in as the most peaceful in the region. The least peaceful, coming in at 136 overall, was Russia. The third annual ranking, which now lists 144 countries, was released June 2.
The recently released beer index put together by Cesu Alus, a Latvian beer company, shows that although Latvians enjoy their beer, Estonians and Lithuanians out drink them. European Union data on beer consumption also confirms the beer indexes. The beer index in Latvia is 47.6 percent 's though it is 52.2 percent in Estonia and 51.7 percent in Lithuania. According to statistics, the average annual beer consumption per capita is 68 liters in Latvia, 76 liters in Lithuania, and 80 liters in Estonia. Eighty liters is also the amount of beer that the average European drinks in a year. Approximately 28.6 percent of Lithuanians reported that beer is their favorite alcoholic drink, as well as 26.6 percent of Estonians and only 21.7 percent of Latvians. Some 30.4 percent of Lithuanians, 28.1 percent of Estonians, and 21 percent of Latvians drink beer no less than once a week. The survey was conducted in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia by the market and public opinion research center SKDS; polling 1,000 residents, aged 18 to 74, in each Baltic country.
An offense at the Freedom Monument in Old Riga has happened again, though this time no urination was involved. Two young men were arrested near the Freedom Monument for waving fake pistols at policemen. One was a Lithuanian citizen and one was Estonian. The two were taken in to State Police and charged with minor hooliganism.
