Sparks fly over Czech "energy commando unit"
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In 2004, the CEZ Energy Company sent shocks through Czech society with its tough methods of debt recovery. They employed a special unit to ensure people didn’t power up to the national grid without paying. But 6 years and 48 extortion cases later, it looks like the debt collectors were a bad idea.
A video has been released of the company’s NTZ department, a secret service commando style unit, training with guns and undergoing endurance tests.
CEZ formed the team in 2004 after technicians from the company were threatened with guns. Before donning their uniforms, which are very similar to those worn by riot place, the troops were given paramilitary and psychological training.
But now the NTZ’s squad leader Karel Vaniš, as well as the 26-member high-voltage team, is facing police accusations of 48 counts of extortion over the past 6 years.
“They were incredibly tough and never sought compromise,” CEZ internal audit chief Petr Vobořil told a Czech newspaper, suggesting the NTZ may have sometimes operated on a short fuse.
Company spokesman Ladislav Kříž has defended the NTZ saying, “On the basis of all available information no law has been broken.” He did however admit that the NTZ might have acted “a bit harshly,” with some customers, Czech newspaper Dnes reported.
CEZ has issued an apology, and has suspended all NTZ activity.
