Czech multi-millionaire on the run
The Czech papers are full of the latest of a string of embarrassing incidents involving the police. The Czech multi-millionaire Radovan Krejcir who is accused of a huge customs fraud, involving plans to murder a customs official, managed to escape from police custody, when they were searching his huge and luxurious villa outside Prague. He escaped through a window after the police let him use the toilet. Was it a case of police incompetence or could it have been corruption?
Radovan Krejcir is a young businessman. In his mid 30's, he's already managed to accumulate a huge amount of property, worth billions of crowns. He started his business 14 years go - when he was only 21, selling food, drinks and cigarettes. Later on he developed a net of companies trading with different sorts of goods, especially fuel. His companies tended to leave huge tax debts.
Mr. Krejcir is that kind of a businessman who likes to flash his wealth around. He owns a huge residence near Prague; a house that is partially carved into the rock of the hillside behind. The house is estimated to have cost up to 15 million dollars to build. He drives luxury sports cars and even has his own shark in an aquarium.
When the police went in for the first time they discovered a secret room full of arms, jewellery, share certificates and even classified police documents.
This last fact is intriguing. According to one of his associates, who is being questioned by the police, Radovan Krejcir has always had very good contacts to certain officials in the state hierarchy.
This is not the first time police have tried to arrest Mr. Krejcir. Twice before he managed to avoid custody thanks to his lawyers, who pointed to technical mistakes made by the prosecutor. This time he escaped thanks to a grave error of judgment by a police officer who let him use a toilet without watching him. This scandal therefore raises questions about police corruption and the interior ministry has not ruled out the possibility.
