The Arifs are a south-east London-based Turkishcriminal organization heavily involved in armed robbery, drug trafficking and other racketeering-related activities within London's underworld since the late 1960s. Following the downfall of the Kray brothers, the Arifs were one of several criminal organisations who took control of the London underworld including the Clerkenwell crime syndicate and the Brindle family[1] with whom they were engaged in a highly publicised gangland war during the 1990s.
The Arifs themselves were considered the leading crime family in the London area throughout the late 1980s before the arrest and conviction of most of its leadership, including most of the Arif family members, for armed robbery and drug-related offences in early 1990s.[2] In 2004, the Irish Daily Mirror called the Arifs "Britain's No 1 crime family."[3] This was also said by some media outlets in 2016.[4]
They are Turkish-Cypriot in origin have been operating in south-east London since the 1960s. After the demise of the Kray brothers, several criminal enterprises attempted to move into the vacuum left behind. The Arifs are known to be, or to have been involved in racketeering, drug smuggling, armed robbery and murders. The gang is led by brothers Deniz, Mehmet and Doğan Arif but more brothers are involved in the various operations.[5]
In November 1990, Deniz and Mehmet, wearing Ronald Reagan masks and wielding shotguns, were arrested in Woodhatch (Reigate, Surrey) as they attempted to rob a Securicor van. Mehmet Arif, who was driving a pick-up used in the robbery, was shot by police, but survived. His passenger, Kenneth Baker, was armed with a sawn-off shotgun, and was shot dead as he attempted to open fire on officers.[6]
Bekir Arif, 52, known as "The Duke", one of seven brothers in the family, was convicted of conspiracy to supply 100 kg of heroin worth £12.5 million in 1999 and given a 23-year term of imprisonment. Dogan Arif, also jailed for drug smuggling, is said to be controlling the family fortune from prison.[6] Their family is said to maintain ties with relations in Turkey who oversee shipments arriving in mainland Europe.
Murder of a good man; A drug gang had been cheated and someone had to pay. It cost an innocent victim his life. Daily Record. 03 Dec 2007
Drugs gang 'godfather' is facing 20 years' jail. Evening Standard. 04 Nov 2004
Busted; Exclusive Top Irish Drug Dealer Is Held In Eur2M Cocaine Raid. The Mirror. 07 Apr 2004
Gun Culture: Gun Gangs Of The Capital; Opinion. The Independent. 21 Sept 2003
End Of A Long Line Of Criminals. The Scotsman. 3 May 2002
Perry police quiz gangsters. Evening Standard. 30 Nov 2001
Bands of brothers; London's web of crime. Time Out. 28 Nov 2001
Heroin mastermind jailed. Western Morning News. 22 May 1999
Cypriot 'mafia' brother jailed for £12m drug plot. Evening Standard. 21 May 1999
Just when you thought london was a safer place. Evening Standard. 23 Sept 1998
Hitman Brought In To End Feud Jailed; 15-year minimum sentence imposed. Tangled London gangland war cost eight lives, Old Bailey told. The Guardian. 25 Mar 1997
Gangland hitman came from Dublin. The Independent. 22 Sept 1995
Caution: you are about to enter gangland Britain; British gangs are disorganised, crude and parochial. Triads, Yardies and Mafiosi are not. me They're here. And their methods are catching. The Independent. 21 Aug 1995
Men who run Crime UK. Sunday Times. 15 Jan 1995
All in the family: The British way of crime. The Observer. 11 July 1993
Murder in a tight little manor; Two men were shot to death in a south London pub last weekend, but witnesses are thin on the ground. Cal McCrystal unpicks the gangland ties that blind. The Independent. 11 Aug 1991
Death at the Bell. Sunday Times. 11 Aug 1991
Police step up fight to curb gangland killings. The Independent. 06 Aug 1991
Referencesedit
^. The Independent. 2004-04-18. Archived from the original on 2008-09-22.
^Steele, John (1997-03-25). . The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2003-05-17. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
^"Comment: Drugs Only Deal Death and Misery," Irish Daily Mirror, April 7, 2004 (LexisNexis).
^Nevett, Joshua (30 March 2016). "Top mobster jailed after £1.5m drug bust but his lawyer's defence is surprising". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
^. Archived from the original on 2014-08-10. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
^ abWilliam Donaldson, Brewer's Rogues, Villains and Eccentrics: An A-Z of Roguish Britons Through the Ages.
October 28, 2023
arifs, gang, this, article, factual, accuracy, disputed, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, help, ensure, that, disputed, statements, reliably, sourced, november, 2018, learn, when, remove, this, template, message, arifs, south, east, london, bas. This article s factual accuracy is disputed Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help to ensure that disputed statements are reliably sourced November 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Arifs are a south east London based Turkish criminal organization heavily involved in armed robbery drug trafficking and other racketeering related activities within London s underworld since the late 1960s Following the downfall of the Kray brothers the Arifs were one of several criminal organisations who took control of the London underworld including the Clerkenwell crime syndicate and the Brindle family 1 with whom they were engaged in a highly publicised gangland war during the 1990s Arif familyFounded byMehmet Arif Deniz Arif and Dogan ArifFounding locationSouth LondonYears active1980s presentTerritorySouth LondonEthnicityTurkishCriminal activitiesDrug trafficking armed robbery arms trafficking extortionAlliesClerkenwell crime syndicate Turkish mafiaRivalsThe Brindles the NemethsThe Arifs themselves were considered the leading crime family in the London area throughout the late 1980s before the arrest and conviction of most of its leadership including most of the Arif family members for armed robbery and drug related offences in early 1990s 2 In 2004 the Irish Daily Mirror called the Arifs Britain s No 1 crime family 3 This was also said by some media outlets in 2016 4 Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 Further reading 4 ReferencesHistory editThey are Turkish Cypriot in origin have been operating in south east London since the 1960s After the demise of the Kray brothers several criminal enterprises attempted to move into the vacuum left behind The Arifs are known to be or to have been involved in racketeering drug smuggling armed robbery and murders The gang is led by brothers Deniz Mehmet and Dogan Arif but more brothers are involved in the various operations 5 In November 1990 Deniz and Mehmet wearing Ronald Reagan masks and wielding shotguns were arrested in Woodhatch Reigate Surrey as they attempted to rob a Securicor van Mehmet Arif who was driving a pick up used in the robbery was shot by police but survived His passenger Kenneth Baker was armed with a sawn off shotgun and was shot dead as he attempted to open fire on officers 6 Bekir Arif 52 known as The Duke one of seven brothers in the family was convicted of conspiracy to supply 100 kg of heroin worth 12 5 million in 1999 and given a 23 year term of imprisonment Dogan Arif also jailed for drug smuggling is said to be controlling the family fortune from prison 6 Their family is said to maintain ties with relations in Turkey who oversee shipments arriving in mainland Europe See also editTurkish organised crime in Great BritainFurther reading editMurder of a good man A drug gang had been cheated and someone had to pay It cost an innocent victim his life Daily Record 03 Dec 2007 Drugs gang godfather is facing 20 years jail Evening Standard 04 Nov 2004 Busted Exclusive Top Irish Drug Dealer Is Held In Eur2M Cocaine Raid The Mirror 07 Apr 2004 Gun Culture Gun Gangs Of The Capital Opinion The Independent 21 Sept 2003 End Of A Long Line Of Criminals The Scotsman 3 May 2002 Perry police quiz gangsters Evening Standard 30 Nov 2001 Bands of brothers London s web of crime Time Out 28 Nov 2001 Heroin mastermind jailed Western Morning News 22 May 1999 Cypriot mafia brother jailed for 12m drug plot Evening Standard 21 May 1999 Just when you thought london was a safer place Evening Standard 23 Sept 1998 Hitman Brought In To End Feud Jailed 15 year minimum sentence imposed Tangled London gangland war cost eight lives Old Bailey told The Guardian 25 Mar 1997 Gangland hitman came from Dublin The Independent 22 Sept 1995 Caution you are about to enter gangland Britain British gangs are disorganised crude and parochial Triads Yardies and Mafiosi are not me They re here And their methods are catching The Independent 21 Aug 1995 Men who run Crime UK Sunday Times 15 Jan 1995 All in the family The British way of crime The Observer 11 July 1993 Murder in a tight little manor Two men were shot to death in a south London pub last weekend but witnesses are thin on the ground Cal McCrystal unpicks the gangland ties that blind The Independent 11 Aug 1991 Death at the Bell Sunday Times 11 Aug 1991 Police step up fight to curb gangland killings The Independent 06 Aug 1991References edit Focus Britain s Top 10 Crimes The Independent 2004 04 18 Archived from the original on 2008 09 22 Steele John 1997 03 25 Bloody vendetta that brought eight deaths to streets of London The Daily Telegraph Archived from the original on 2003 05 17 Retrieved 2021 08 04 Comment Drugs Only Deal Death and Misery Irish Daily Mirror April 7 2004 LexisNexis Nevett Joshua 30 March 2016 Top mobster jailed after 1 5m drug bust but his lawyer s defence is surprising Mirror co uk Retrieved 24 August 2018 U K Organised Crime Arif s of London Unreported Cases Archived from the original on 2014 08 10 Retrieved 2014 08 09 a b William Donaldson Brewer s Rogues Villains and Eccentrics An A Z of Roguish Britons Through the Ages Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Arifs gang amp oldid 1179971110, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
