South Africa Charges Czech Gold Dealer With Mafia-Style Crimes

South Africa has charged a Czech gold dealer with mafia-style violence following an attempted murder.

The dealer, who allegedly has links to organized crime, was charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, and assault in a court in South Africa.

Radovan Krejcir and two others who are members of the elite police unit called the Hawks, have applied for bail and according to authorities have denied the charges.

Last week, Krejcir, 45, claimed he was assaulted by police, which granted him a trip to the hospital to be treated for his alleged injuries.

The gold dealer was arrested in his home in Johannesburg, South Africa on November 23, stemming from the incident that took place in June of 2013.

Additionally to the charges he now faces in South Africa, Krejcir, is also wanted in his native Czech Republic after he was convicted in absentia last year on tax fraud charges.

According to a report in the Palm Ridge Regional Court, east of Johannesburg, the state says that the victim is a man whose brother was allegedly asked to smuggle drugs on Krejcir and his associates’ behalf, and was kidnapped by Hawks members Samuel Modise Maropeng, 41, and George Jeff Nthoroane, 46.

The BBC reports prosecutors says that approximately 55 pounds of crystal meth did not arrive at its intended destination in Australia and the alleged dealer disappeared, so they went after his brother instead.

The gold dealer moved to South Africa in 2007 seeking asylum and claims that if he is extradited to the Czech Republic he will be killed.

The media in South Africa has been closely following Krejcir’s moves as he is a known figure of the underworld.

Several of his associates were killed in different incidents recently and he himself survived an attempted assassination.

South Africa is one of the most violent countries in the world, which many attribute to police corruption. Rape, murders, and other forms of crimes are a daily feature in news reports and newspapers.