Serbian mafia
Encyclopedia
Serbian Organized Crime or Naša Stvar ("Our Thing") are various criminal organizations based in Serbia
or composed of ethnic Serbs
in the Serbian Diaspora. Serbian mafiosos are very active in European Union
(EU) countries. The organizations are primarily involved in smuggling
, arms trafficking, drug trafficking, protection racket
s, illegal gambling, jewellery and gems theft, bodyguarding, and contract killing
s. The Mafia is composed of several major organized groups, which in turn have wider networks throughout Europe.
The Serbian Mafia gave many Serbs a "way out" of economic disaster during the internationally imposed sanctions against Serbia during the Yugoslav Wars
. Serbian criminals have been recruited to state security forces, a notable example is Legija, a commander in Arkan's Tigers which after the war was re-labelled as the JSO (Red Berets), he also planned the assasination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić.
The ethnic Serbian OC groups are organized in the horizontal manner and higher ranked members are not necessarly coordinated by any leader.
was Jovo Stanisavljević Čaruga
, a hajduk
in Slavonia
todays Croatia
who joined the "Band of mountain birds" (Kolo gorskih tića, tići) a group of robbers who ravaged the countryside of Slavonia. The 1991 biographical film Čaruga
was the last Yugoslavian film.
Ljuba Zemunac
was known as a godfather
of the Serbian Mafia, during the 70's and 80's he operated in Germany
and Italy
where he formed his gang. He was killed in 1986 by rival Goran Vuković
"Majmun".
Joca Amsterdam operated in the Netherlands
and became one of the strongest gangsters through his elimination of rivals while working as a hitman and took over the drug trade. He obtained the cocaine from contacts in Colombia and earned a name as the "Cocaine King". He worked for "Duja" Bećirović as an underboss. He later lived in Bulgaria where he was successful in drug smuggling until his arrest in 2002. Upon returning to Serbia, he took over companies by force, utilizing the Surčin clan, one of three then most powerful "clans" of Belgrade; Serbia. Joca was later involved in the 2008 car bombing of Croatian
journalists Ivo Pukanić and Niko Franjić.
Also up-and-coming "Arkan
" was successful bank robber in Western Europe
during the 70's. He had convictions and warrants in Belgium
, the Netherlands
, Sweden
, Germany
, Austria
, Switzerland
and Italy
. He managed to escape several prisons and had made connections with several known criminals from Yugoslavia during his time there. In the 80's he returned to Serbia
where he started with illegal businesses and led the Red Star Belgrade
supporter club Delije Sever Ultras
.
The real breakthrough for criminal organizations in Serbia
occurred in 1991 when wars broke out in Yugoslavia after deteriorating relations between the republics and ethnic groups. Serbs
, Croats
and Bosniaks
fought over territory in Croatia
and Bosnia and Herzegovina
. International sanctions
were imposed on Serbia
since 1991 and the Republic was economically isolated. The economic disaster prompted the breakthrough for criminal organizations. Desperate for money, many former military
and youths turned to crime.
In 1992, the gang of "Peca" was arrested, one of the members was Dušan Spasojević, the later head of Zemun clan. A young mobster from Vozdovac Aleksandar Knežević "Knele" is murdered in October, prompting brief wars in Belgrade, he was the son of Belgrade gangster "Buca Al Kapone"
Arkan was the founder and leader of the Serb Volunteer Guard
(Arkan's Tigers) a Serbian paramilitary
unit that fought during the war, made up of Red Star Belgrade
hooligans of Delije Sever and gangsters from Serbia. The members profited from the battlefields and business from Serbia. He founded the Party of Serbian Unity
in 1993. When he returned from the war, he was the most powerful of the Serbian Mafia, he soon married Turbo-Folk
singer Ceca, the most popular singer in Serbia.
Slobodan Milošević
, the President, protected the Mafia in exchange for favours, thus being in direct connection with the Mafia.
The business that profited the Mafia was cigarettes and oil
smuggled during the start of the Yugoslav wars
because of the sanctions. The businessman Stanko Subotić is one of the names that made huge profit in these times, his net worth is €650 million, of which the greater part was made after 1993 in the cigarettes trade; he was the leader of the so called "Tobacco Mafia". After the fall of Milošević, Subotić maintained connection with the Montenegrin President Milo Đukanović. Cigarettes were produced in the Republic of Macedonia
and sold into Central Europe
.
From 1994-2000 illegal cigarette smuggling in Italy was operated by the Serbian Mafia together with the Italian Mafia.
The 1996 Documentary film "Vidimo se u čitulji
" (See you in the obituaries) follows the gangsters of New Belgrade.
The veterans of the wars turn to crimes in high rates. The most common crimes are assassinations, kidnapping, trafficking, robberies, money laundering, racketeering and illegal software production. The high profits from criminality, corrupt environment and possibility for money laundering make the organized crime vulnerable to the international community.
In 1997, 350 kilos of heroin was seized at the Serbian-Bulgarian border.
On 15 January 2000, Arkan was murdered in the lobby of Continental Hotel Belgrade. The killer, Dobrosav Gavrić, is a 23-year-old police mobile brigade's junior member. Gavrić had ties to the underworld.
When Slobodan Milošević
lost power in the October 2000 Bulldozer Revolution. However, a bloody feud soon emerged amongst the different "clans". The feud grew into an open war in which many of the mafia bosses were assassinated.
In 2000, a total 841 million € was determined to have been illegal profits in Serbia
Organized crime in Serbia had more money and better armed than the government and police, the Serbian Interior Minister Dušan Mihajlović
said in 2001. He said Slobodan Milošević
had given life to crime-syndicates as "state-sanctioned mafia". Prostitutes from the Soviet Republics working in Northern Europe
were working for Balkan organizations. After Milošević lost power the Mafia was seeking a new contact in the government In September 2001, 700 kilos of heroin was found in a bank vault rented by the BIA in central Belgrade. The illegal safekeeping was never explained nor brought up. The Zemun gang had "special training courses" with the BIA, lending them information on Kosovo Albanian terrorists.
In 2002, a "White Book" was compiled with 52 criminal organizations of Serbia, none of which had been terminated by the year's end. The same year it was concluded that the Protection rackets in the harbour cities of the Black Sea were run by Serbian, Russian and Ukrainian OC.
In February 2003, Serbian police busted several pharmaceutical factories near Belgrade with a large quantity of amphetamine, the ringleader Milan Zarubica produced tonnes of drugs that he exported throughout Europe. He got 12 years and fourteen of his associates got sentences as well.
During the period that started with the Yugoslav wars
and ended with the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić in March 2003, connections between the mafia and the government were obvious and corruption was rampant in most branches of the government, from border patrols to law-enforcement agencies. On March 12, 2003, Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić was assassinated
by former Serbian
Special Operations Unit (Red Berets, transformed from Arkan's Tigers) Zvezdan Jovanovic. Legija was involved in the assasination and he too was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Đinđić had connections within the Surčin for the earlier overthrowing of Milošević. The government set in motion a major bust on criminality in - "Operation Sablja
" (English: Sabre), which led to more than 10,000 arrests. New Belgrade malls, a frequent place of gangsters, went down more than 20+% after the Operation 123 criminal groups were broken with 844 members awaiting trial; 3,949 people were issued criminal complaints, 28 kilos of heroin, 463 grams of Cocaine, 44 837 kilos of Marijuana, 4 960 synthetic drugs and 688 stolen cars were found by the day. Milan Sarajlić, the Deputy State Prosecutor of Serbia was arrested and confessed the involvement (being on payroll) with the Zemun clan. 140 kilos of marijuana is seized in Belgrade and 4 people are arrested in November, 2003. The Red Berets are dissolved on 23 March 2003.
In 2003 a White Book is published titled "Albanian terrorism and Organized Crime in Kosovo and Metohija". A total of 126 groups were registered by 2003.
In 2005 it was confirmed that Serbia loses 7.5 million RSD because of economic crime, the estimated total loss to criminal activity is at 200 million € yearly.
In 2006 It was revealed that Dušan Spasojević
, the gang leader of the Zemun clan
, was a connection to Serbian Radicals leader Vojislav Šešelj
, whom he had given information about high-profile murders carried out in Serbia, written about in Šešelj's two books (Spasojević under pseudonym Laufer) More than 360 kilograms of heroin was seized in the first half of the year.
In January, 2009, Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić
estimated some 30 to 40 serious organized crime groups operating in Serbia. The figures does not include smaller size criminal groups but more organized, involved in drug trafficking and arms trafficking, human trafficking, murder and larger robberies.
In September, 2009, 22 of the Elez group is arrested by the Serbian police, dubbed the most dangerous gang in Western Balkans. The leader, Darko Elez, is captured with 5 other members in Serbia, 13 members are captured in Bosnia & Herzegovina, of which 3 were police officers
Police seized 2.8 tons (2,800 kg, worth 120 million €) of cocaine shipment from Uruguay on October 17, 2009, the BIA and American DEA made the joint operation.
On October 31, 2009, Serbian police arrested over 500 people in the biggest anti-drug bust ever in Serbia.
The Interior Ministry organized the Morava-operation that would focus on drug trafficking to young people in the primary and secondary schools, clubs and cafes and would encompass 2,000 police officers searching the whole country.
In November, 2009, Argentine
Police arrested 5 Serbian drug couriers and seized their 492 kilograms of cocaine in Buenos Aires
, One of the largest drug busts in 2009. The routs of the drugs were from Uruguay
and Argentina
via Central alt. South Africa
to Northern Italy
alt. Turkey
to Montenegro
. Also, Serbian organized crime experts estimated 10,000 foot soldiers part of 5 major organized crime groups operating in Serbia. A courier package of 5 kilos cocaine was intercepted from Paraguay, 4 Belgraders were arrested.
The busts were part of the Operation Balkan Warrior; an international drug smuggling case that involves mainly the Zemun clan
, a name concluded as leader of the drug ring is Željko Vujanović.
In December, 2009, Ivica Dačić
said "half of the Serbian sport clubs are led by people with links to organized crime". 21 kilos of heroin ($1,5-million) was found in a Belgrade flat rented by a Montenegrin national, the drugs were brought from Turkey.
In January, 2010, a 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) lot illegally owned by the Zemun clan was seized at Šilerova Street in Zemun
, Belgrade, the clans headquarters.
By January 21, The Balkan Warrior Operation included 19 suspects, 9 of whom are in custody, new arrests are Darko Šarić and Goran Soković who are colleagues of Željko Vujanović. Also, the same day, a 8-man crime group involved in stealing of oil over a two-year period from the NIS
pipelines, the crude oil was sold through a company, worth several hundred thousands of euros, among the arrested is a member of the MUP.
On February 10, Serbia's top officials said serious daily death threats from the narco-mafia have been directed against President Boris Tadić, Deputy Prime minister and Interior minister Ivica Dačić, Special prosecutor for organized crime Miljko Radisavljević among other top government officials.
On February 18, a group of six robbers from Belgrade were arrested, they had since 2008 stolen more than 10 million RSD from banks, post offices, gas stations, exchange offices and stores. They were all in the ages 18–23.
On February 19, Interior Minister Ivica Dačić said that more than 50 suspects were arrested today in an ongoing operation aimed against financial crime and money laundering conducted in Valjevo
, Novi Sad
, Belgrade
, Šabac
, Sremska Mitrovica
, Čačak
and Sombor
.
In March 2010, Stanko Subotić, aka Cane, head of the so called "Tobacco Mafia" and on an international arrest warrant of Serbia, accused Nebojša Medojević
, the Montenegrin party leader of Movement for Change
of having organized a manhunt on him on the orders of Serbia
n businessman Milan Beko and Delta Holding owner Miroslav Mišković after they stole 50 million from Cane to buy Port of Belgrade
and daily newspaper Večernje Novosti
. Medojević had claimed that Cane and Darko Šarić had been hiding in a Montenegrin police villa in Žabljak
, while Cane said in an interview that he was in Geneva
, Switzerland
. It is not quite clear why Zoran Đinđić the democratic leader invited his friend Stanko Subotić to invest in Serbia after the downfall of Milošević. If Stanko Subotić was really the head of the Tobacco Mafia, Zoran Đinđić would not have invited him. It seems that Subotić may not have been involved in illegal activities but was slurred by Serbian politicians and businessmen who wanted to monopolize trade and business in Serbia, and to block independent financial support for the Democratic Party.
In 11 March, a "well-known" entrepreneur was arrested with 1.2 kilograms of heroine meant for resale in Jagodina
.
In 19 March, Boris Tadić vowed an all-out war on the Serbian mafia, in particular drug trafficking that is considered the biggest threat in society. Tadić has evidence that Serbian cartels have attempted to penetrate state institutions to destabilise the government. "The latest property seizures prove that those groups have laundered narco money by investing not only into their personal houses and land but also in tourism, factories and distribution of the press," Tadić said.
On 28 March 2010, 2 Bosniaks
from Novi Pazar
(Serbian citizens) were arrested at the Zagreb Airport
with at least 1.7 kilograms of cocaine for the Serbian drug market. The pure cocaine came from Lima
, Peru
where they had spent the month traveling from Belgrade. The drugs were soaked in their clothes, estimated worth on the streets of Croatia was 70,000€.
In April 2010, it was concluded that Darko Šarić's gang had planned an operation against Serbian officials, including the president. Encrypted
messages in local newspapers were dechiffered by investigators and after long surveillance of the clan it was concluded that several hitmen were to kill Serbian officials of the MUP, BIA and state officials in a synchronized and highly well-coordinated way. The Šarić clan wants to liquidate people that are in their way, after the Balkan Warrior Operation that heavily decreased crime in Serbia and Montenegro.
On May 14, 2010, 3 Serbs who worked security for one of Bolivia's top drug lords were killed in a shootout with rival crime groups, the drug lord was kidnapped.
Interior Minister Ivica Dačić submitted the work report for 2009; the police had uncovered 7 OC groups and arrested 86 people. He said that by the end of 2009 there were 27 registered OC groups active, with each group having more than 200 members.
There is currently an ongoing investigation against Zemun clan members involved in assassinations who claim that Šešelj has ordered the assassination of Tomislav Nikolić
.
In 2010 it was revealed that the Šarić gang had, in 2008 and 2009, ousted the 'Ndrangheta from the drug market. With the emergance of the gang on Italian soil, the gang offered better quality cocaine for a lower price, effectively gaining the market from 2007–2009, trafficking cocaine from South America. The Operation Balkan Warrior was successful in Italy, with over 80 people arrested. Two networks were among the arrested, one Italian, with members from Milan and other northern Italian towns, and the other, a Serbian network, with members from Serbia, Montenegro and Slovenia. The Serbian network has operatives all over Europe and South America.
The clans have control over wide networks of smaller groups.
represented the height of power of Serbian organized crime, when mafiosos and government officials were intertwined. Milošević had criminals work for him in different special units. The role of several Belgrade gangsters was described in the documentary film "Vidimo se u čitulji
" ("See You in the Obituary").
s. They have targeted several countries and continents, and include Japan's most successful robbery ever amongst their thefts.
Interpol believes that the group are responsible for US$
130 million in bold robberies in Dubai
, Switzerland
, Japan
, France
, Germany
, Luxembourg
, Spain
and Monaco
. They are believed to be responsible for the robbery of the jewellery store Harry Winston in Paris
, on December 9, 2008. The thieves escaped with more than €
80 million worth of jewellery. The total worth of jewellery that has been stolen by the Pink Panthers was 250 million € in May, 2010.
in the late 70's, organized in a Yugoslav
clan, their headquarters were some 15 kafanas in Sydney
, Wollongong and Melbourne
.
.
In the 80's the Serbian Mafia was reinforced with the arrival of Serbian immigrants.
Milivoje Matović "Miša Kobra", arrived to Sydney in 1986 and became a known gambler who organized big games. His younger brother Braca owed money to the gang of Žorž Stanković, Žorž sent his son Batica for Miša Kobra whose friend Boža Cvetić threw down the street after he had pointed a gun at them. Batica was deported to Serbia and Braca was killed in the meantime. Žorž was killed in 1993 and his son Batica in 1996.
In 2005 interviews with Australian Serbs
, it was said some 20 Zemun clan
members operated in Australia at the time, double the number working prior to Operation Sablja
. Serbian boxer Božidar Cvetić who in 2002 was stabbed, now worked as a bouncer in Australia said that Australian police had shown him pictures of some 150 Serbian criminals active in Australia.
In May 2007, Australian police saw recruitment to organized crime motorcycle gangs from young Serbs.
On October 27, 1978 Veljko Krivokapić secretly met with Ljubomir Magaš, a member of the gang he had just left, at the Zur Hauptpost coffee house in Vienna
. Magaš and another Yugoslav, Rade Caldović, grabbed Krivokapić and fractured his skull with a glass bottle.
Involvement with Corsican
gangsters in late 1960s.
The Pink Panthers have operated in Austria.
is assassinated in Brussels by Veselin Vukotić, Andrija Lakonić, and Darko Ašanin, at the time hired by the UDBA
(Yugoslav intelligence).
of Republic of Srpska.
The Zemun clan is active in Bosnia.
In 1997, 350 kilos of heroin was seized at the Serbian-Bulgarian border.
Sreten Jocić
(Joca Amsterdam) escaped custody in Netherlands in 1993, he left for Bulgaria where he would continue his drug smuggling under the pseudonym "Marko Milosavljevic". He was arrested in 2002 and extradited to Netherlands.
One Macedonian national and 2 Bulgarians were arrested during the Operation Moonlight linked with the Zemun clan; they trafficked cocaine from Bolivia.
Zemun clan member Nenad Milenković "Milenko" was arrested in 2003 at the Varna resort, following the international warrant by the Serbian police after Operation Sablja
. He was suspected of orchestrating at least 3 murders in Bulgaria and some 20 in Serbia.
The Zemun clan successfully managed the drug traffic from Bulgaria after 2003, taking over the market from Surcin-associate Sreten Jocić.
Bulgarian tycoon Iliya Pavlov was murdered by Serbian Mafia in 2004 it is believed. He owed 250 million dollars to the Milosevic regime.
Croatian hitman Robert Matanic and his colleagues were hired by the Zemun clan to kill people of the concurrenting Bulgarian Mafia for the Balkan drug route. Dimitar Hristov, Kaloyan Savov and Zhivko Mitev were killed in a shootout on June 4, 2004. Matanic and his men were hired by Milcho Bonev (SIC
) as bodyguards after friends of Matanic introduced by his Serbian friends in the Zemun clan. Milcho Bonev was assassinated in 2004, believed to be organized by the Serbian Mafia.
In September 2007, a believed internal feud resulted in the death of Jovica Lukic, the critical wounding of 2 other men, a mother and her baby. The men were all members of the Zemun clan.
Former Litex president Angel Bonchev had business with the Zemun clan. He was kidnapped in 2008.
The Zemun clan is active in Bulgaria.
and his marketing chief Niko Franjić in 2008 was ordered by Sreten Jocić
who hired Željko Milovanović, a former Red Berets member who bombed the car of the publisher with the help of Milenko Kuzmanović. Pukanic had ties to Balkan criminals. All three were arrested by the Serbian police.
, who played Radovan in the movie Pusher
, was arrested, along with his brother, for possession of illegal arms (loaded gun) in Sweden. He was the director of the RK Company in Denmark, an illegal gambling company owned by Rade Kotur (Spelkungen, The Gambling King) a known figure in Sweden who hired the murder of Ratko Đokić
. During the trial of Rade Kotur
, Labović came to support Kotur.
as Mafia Serbe.
In 1962, Stevica Marković, Miša Milošević and Radovan Delić arrived in Paris, were part of the "Garderodameri" that was formed in 1966 with the arrival of Marko Nicovic.
The Pink Panthers
have operated in France. In October 2008, police officials in Monaco
arrested two members of the gang, a Serb and a Bosnian Serb. The gang is suspected of jewellery and gems theft at Harry Winston
for an estimated value of up to 80 million Euros or 105 million US dollars.
In December 2009, two Serbs were arrested suspected of involvement of a major group smuggling cocaine from Peru to Montenegro on luxury yachts. The American DEA
helped the Greek police to track the smuggling for 5 months. 2 other Serbs are wanted in Serbia.
: Serbische Mafia, Jugoslawische Mafia.
The Serbian Mafia was the main operator of cigarette smuggling in Germany in 2004.
Slobodan Grbović "Slobo" left Italy for Germany in the 70's and became friends with Vaso Letećeg, a thief from Belgrade. In 1981 this friendship ended when they feuded over money, Slobo shot his patron Vaso and went to prison, Vaso survived.
In 1980, Branislav Saranovic, escapes the Wuppertal prison with the help of the Ljuba Zemunac gang who blew up a prison wall.
In February, 1988, Rade Caldovic is appointed the leader in Germany after good relations with the Italian Mafia in Milano. He becomes friend with Greek businessman Mihail Sainidis who owns over 15 casinos in southern Germany. On 30 March, Zoran Lucic, a Belgrade gangster kills an Albanian rival in Frankfurt.
In the 90's, the underground of former Eastern Germany
was controlled by Italian, German, Russian, Vietnamese and Serbian organized groups. Leipzig
was the centre of money laundering
, smuggling
, prostitution
and protection rackets due to the weak system. The most profitable operations of the groups from former Yugoslavia
was car thefts, luxury cars were stolen in Germany
and sold to Eastern Europe
, North Africa
and Far East
.
Andrija Drašković, an heir to Arkan's syndicate following his assassination, was arrested by German police in Frankfurt
after four years on the run from the Italian Anti-Organized Crime Unit. Drašković is believed to have organized the murder of his former boss Arkan.
The Pink Panthers have made jewellery robberies in Germany
and Serbian Mafia.
In 1971 Ljubomir Magas
arrived in Milano with "Dača" and he settled in Milan. His friend Rade Caldovic "Centa" was shot in his stomach in Verona by rival Bata Glavac, Caldovic later went to prison in Rome. The Yugoslav mafia in Milano was formed by Ljubomir Magas, Rade Caldovic, Veljko Krivokapic, Slobodan Grbović "Slobo Crnogorac", Milan Civija, Dule Milanovic, Dragan Malesevic, Mile Ojdanic, Sava Somborac, Pera Oziljak, Marinko Magda, Arkan, Djordje Bozovic "Giška". They did holdups, murders and burglaries in Trieste
, Rome
and Milano.
Dragomir Petrović "Zmaj" (called Drago lo Slovo, Drago the Slav in Italian) was a Serbian gangster who found his way to Milano, he was connected with a godfather of the Italian Mafia in Calabria. He was involved with gambling, bank and jewellery robberies,
Later an influx of gangsters from SR Montenegro strengthened the Yugoslav position in the Italian underworld. Vlasto Petrović "Crnogorac", Djordje Božović and Darko Ašanin were connected with mafiosi operating from Montenegro
; Branko and Slobo Šaranović, Brano Mićunović and Ratko Djokić, Sarajevo
; Miša Martinović, Zagreb
; Marko Vlahović. In the same time Slobodan Grbović "Slobo Crnogorac" left for Germany and teamed up with Vaso Letećeg, a thief from Belgrade
During the 90's the 'Ndrangheta acquired weapon arsenal (Bazookas, explosives, automatic firearms) built in Serbia
, imported through firms outside Italy
From 1994-2000 illegal cigarette smuggling in Italy was operated by the Serbian Mafia together with the Italian Mafia.
Zemun clan member Ninoslav Konstantinovic fled Netherlands to Italy after his brother was arrested in 2003. In Italy he became a leading heroin distributor and professional hitman, working for the Italian Mafia in Naples
, he is recognized as highly skilled as many of his fellow Zemun clan members are known throughout Europe. His assassinations are known to be brutal and ruthless executions.
In May 2009, Vladimir Jovanović, a former Zemun clan member and Interpol
wanted was arrested in Italy
.
The presence of Serbian OC groups, among others, have increased rapidly the later years because of the badly controlled coastline.
A Macedonian national was kidnapped for a 700.000 € ransom in 2004.
Stanislava Cocorovska Poletan, married to Ranko Poletan, a former commander of the Serbian Volunteer Guard (Arkan's tigers), was suspected of having orchestrated the transport of 486 kilos of cocaine seized at the border crossing of Blace
, heading for Greece
with the final destination in Western Europe
. Poletan is linked with Serbian criminal organizations operating during the Milosevic regime with cigarette and alcohol smuggling, she is also said to be close to chief of Macedonian secret police Slobodan Bogoevski. Cocorovska, who is also a holder of a Serbian citizenship, was extradited to Macedonia in May 2007 and sentenced to 14,5 years of imprisonment.
The Serbian Mafia is the leading criminal group in Montenegro. Many of the Belgrade crime groups that were not caught during Operation Sablja hid in Montenegro.
The Zemun clan is active in Montenegro.
that have been linked to the activities of Serbian Organized Crime gangs. In recent years the Serbian mafia has been growing strong in the Netherlands
. In 2004, the Ecstacy and Heroin of Netherlands originated from the Balkan region, Serbian organized crime groups dominated the auto theft-smuggling.
On Christmas Eve, 1974, Slobodan Mitric killed 3 alleged UDBA members in Kafana "Mostar" in Amsterdam.
In 1977, Emilio Di Giovine was wounded and 2 of his men killed by rival Yugoslavs.
On 24 October 1979, Arkan, Slobodan Kostovski and an Italian are arrested while robbing a jewelry store in Amsterdam
, they had days earlier robbed a jeweller in Hague and were sought in several countries. On 8 May 1981, Arkan escaped from the Bijlmerbajes prison in Amsterdam
with Italian Sergio Settimo, one of the most sought criminals in Europe.
In 1992, a member of the Chinese Triad is killed after a debt to the Serbian Mafia.
The Serbian OC groups have become stronger and has superseded the Russian Mafia in Netherlands and the arms trade is shared by Serbian and Turkish groups.
as: Serbiska maffian, Jugoslaviska maffian, Juggemaffian.
The Serbian mafia in Sweden was said to be the top criminal organisation, but its influence has declined since the deaths of several leading figures.
A war was fought over the control of the trade of narcotics and cigarettes between Serbian Organized Crime leaders which resulted in Joksa's and Ratko Đokić's deaths.
Individuals associated to Serbian Organized Crime in Sweden:
Sweden saw a large influx of ethnic Serbs during the 60s and 70s, when the "Arbetskraftsinvandring" took place; The labour force of immigrants who were granted citizenship (similar to Gastarbeiter
programme). In the 80's the Serbs were the main operators of drug smuggling in Sweden.
During the 90s a war on the cigarette trade was fought between factions of the Serbian Mafia in Sweden, it resulted in many deaths of top figures.
On March 15, 2003, a Colombian
hitman
hired by a rivaling gang failed an attempted assassination of Ševo and his companions at a K-15 fighting gala.
In 2003, in a storage room located in the Vårby Gård suburbs, the Swedish police found silenced firearms; Ak47's Uzi's and MP5's, bombs; grenades, plastic explosives and mine
s. The arsenal was used by the Serbian Mafia in Sweden, the owner of the storage was Milan Ševo, the son-in-law of Ratko Đokić
, the former head of Mafia; the title soon inherited by Ševo.
On May 5, 2003, Ratko Đokić was assassinated outside his Boxing club in Skärholmen. One of the hitmen, Nenad Mišović
, was arrested in Europe years later. Mišović came to Sweden in 2002 after fleeing the police in Serbia. He was hired by Rade Kotur, a rival of Đokić
In 2004, the Serbian Mafia dominated the organized crime in Sweden, known uncovered operations were doping substances.
One of the chapters in the "Svensk Maffia" (Swedish Mafia)-book follows the history of the Serbian mafia in Sweden from the 60's to modern time.
Serbia
n Interior Minister Ivica Dačić
claims that former members of the paramilitary
Red Berets took part in the 2009 Västberga helicopter robbery one of the most spectacular heists in the history. One month prior to the robbery, the Swedish Embassy was allegedly given "certain information about a criminal group which was preparing a robbery" by Serbian police.
. The marijuana was seized as it travelled from Larache
, Morocco
to Southampton
on a tugboat under an Israeli flag.
The Pink Panthers
have operated in London
.
One of the most notorious Serbs was Boško Radonjić, leader of the Irish-American organized crime group "the Westies", from 1988-1992. He reestablished the relations with the Gambino family under John Gotti
.
Captifs (international title Caged) is a 2010 French horror film directed and co-written by Yann Gozlan. The film is about a woman named Carole who is traumatized after seeing her friend Laura being killed by a dog twenty years ago. Carole works as an aid worker in former Yugoslavia and begins to leave for Kosovo with two co-workers when she is kidnapped by a gang of masked men who deal with human organ trafficking.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
or composed of ethnic Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
in the Serbian Diaspora. Serbian mafiosos are very active in European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU) countries. The organizations are primarily involved in smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
, arms trafficking, drug trafficking, protection racket
Protection racket
A protection racket is an extortion scheme whereby a criminal group or individual coerces a victim to pay money, supposedly for protection services against violence or property damage. Racketeers coerce reticent potential victims into buying "protection" by demonstrating what will happen if they...
s, illegal gambling, jewellery and gems theft, bodyguarding, and contract killing
Contract killing
Contract killing is a form of murder, in which one party hires another party to kill a target individual or group of people. It involves an illegal agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to kill the target in exchange for consideration, monetary, or otherwise. The hiring party may...
s. The Mafia is composed of several major organized groups, which in turn have wider networks throughout Europe.
The Serbian Mafia gave many Serbs a "way out" of economic disaster during the internationally imposed sanctions against Serbia during the Yugoslav Wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
. Serbian criminals have been recruited to state security forces, a notable example is Legija, a commander in Arkan's Tigers which after the war was re-labelled as the JSO (Red Berets), he also planned the assasination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić.
The ethnic Serbian OC groups are organized in the horizontal manner and higher ranked members are not necessarly coordinated by any leader.
History
In the early 1900s, a known outlawOutlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
was Jovo Stanisavljević Čaruga
Jovo Stanisavljevic Caruga
Jovan "Jovo" Stanisavljević , known by his nickname Čaruga was a 20th-century Serb outlaw in Slavonia in the early 20th century....
, a hajduk
Hajduk
Hajduk is a term most commonly referring to outlaws, highwaymen or freedom fighters in the Balkans, Central- and Eastern Europe....
in Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
todays Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
who joined the "Band of mountain birds" (Kolo gorskih tića, tići) a group of robbers who ravaged the countryside of Slavonia. The 1991 biographical film Čaruga
Caruga (film)
Čaruga is a 1991 Croatian film directed by Rajko Grlić. Based on the novel by Ivan Kušan, it tells a true story about legendary Slavonian bandit Jovo Stanisavljević Čaruga....
was the last Yugoslavian film.
Ljuba Zemunac
Ljubomir Magaš
Ljubomir Magaš was a Yugoslav amateur boxer, streetfighter and gangster. He was commonly known by his nickname Ljuba Zemunac .-Early days:...
was known as a godfather
Capo di tutti capi
Capo di tutti capi or capo dei capi is Italian for "boss of all bosses" or "boss of bosses". It is a phrase used mainly by the media, public and the law enforcement community to indicate a supremely powerful crime boss in the Sicilian or American Mafia who holds great influence over the whole...
of the Serbian Mafia, during the 70's and 80's he operated in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where he formed his gang. He was killed in 1986 by rival Goran Vuković
Goran Vukovic
Goran Vuković "Majmun" was a Serbian mobster and murderer.-Killing of Ljubomir Magas:...
"Majmun".
Joca Amsterdam operated in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and became one of the strongest gangsters through his elimination of rivals while working as a hitman and took over the drug trade. He obtained the cocaine from contacts in Colombia and earned a name as the "Cocaine King". He worked for "Duja" Bećirović as an underboss. He later lived in Bulgaria where he was successful in drug smuggling until his arrest in 2002. Upon returning to Serbia, he took over companies by force, utilizing the Surčin clan, one of three then most powerful "clans" of Belgrade; Serbia. Joca was later involved in the 2008 car bombing of Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
journalists Ivo Pukanić and Niko Franjić.
Also up-and-coming "Arkan
Željko Ražnatovic
Željko Ražnatović , widely known as Arkan was a Serbian career criminal and later a paramilitary leader who was notable for organizing and leading a paramilitary force in the Yugoslav Wars...
" was successful bank robber in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
during the 70's. He had convictions and warrants in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He managed to escape several prisons and had made connections with several known criminals from Yugoslavia during his time there. In the 80's he returned to Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
where he started with illegal businesses and led the Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
supporter club Delije Sever Ultras
Ultras
Ultras are a type of sports fans renowned for their fanatical support and elaborate displays. They are predominantly European followers of football teams...
.
The real breakthrough for criminal organizations in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
occurred in 1991 when wars broke out in Yugoslavia after deteriorating relations between the republics and ethnic groups. Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
, Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
and Bosniaks
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
fought over territory in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. International sanctions
International sanctions
International sanctions are actions taken by countries against others for political reasons, either unilaterally or multilaterally.There are several types of sanctions....
were imposed on Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
since 1991 and the Republic was economically isolated. The economic disaster prompted the breakthrough for criminal organizations. Desperate for money, many former military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
and youths turned to crime.
In 1992, the gang of "Peca" was arrested, one of the members was Dušan Spasojević, the later head of Zemun clan. A young mobster from Vozdovac Aleksandar Knežević "Knele" is murdered in October, prompting brief wars in Belgrade, he was the son of Belgrade gangster "Buca Al Kapone"
Arkan was the founder and leader of the Serb Volunteer Guard
Serb Volunteer Guard
The Serb Volunteer Guard also known as Arkan's Tigers was a Serbian volunteer paramilitary unit, founded and led by Željko Ražnatović, that fought in Croatia ; Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Kosovo War ....
(Arkan's Tigers) a Serbian paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
unit that fought during the war, made up of Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
hooligans of Delije Sever and gangsters from Serbia. The members profited from the battlefields and business from Serbia. He founded the Party of Serbian Unity
Party of Serbian Unity
The Party of Serbian Unity was a nationalist political party in the Serbia.The goals of the party included:*Unity of Serbian people*Keeping integrity of territory of Serbia...
in 1993. When he returned from the war, he was the most powerful of the Serbian Mafia, he soon married Turbo-Folk
Turbo-folk
Turbo-folk is a popular musical sub-genre that originated in Serbia, the Balkans. Having mainstream popularity in Serbia, although closely associated with Serbian performers, its sound is as popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro...
singer Ceca, the most popular singer in Serbia.
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
, the President, protected the Mafia in exchange for favours, thus being in direct connection with the Mafia.
The business that profited the Mafia was cigarettes and oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
smuggled during the start of the Yugoslav wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
because of the sanctions. The businessman Stanko Subotić is one of the names that made huge profit in these times, his net worth is €650 million, of which the greater part was made after 1993 in the cigarettes trade; he was the leader of the so called "Tobacco Mafia". After the fall of Milošević, Subotić maintained connection with the Montenegrin President Milo Đukanović. Cigarettes were produced in the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
and sold into Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
.
From 1994-2000 illegal cigarette smuggling in Italy was operated by the Serbian Mafia together with the Italian Mafia.
The 1996 Documentary film "Vidimo se u čitulji
Vidimo se u citulji
See You in the Obituary is a 1995 made-for-TV 35-minute documentary directed by Janko Baljak based on the book The Crime That Changed Serbia by Aleksandar Knežević and Vojislav Tufegdžić...
" (See you in the obituaries) follows the gangsters of New Belgrade.
The veterans of the wars turn to crimes in high rates. The most common crimes are assassinations, kidnapping, trafficking, robberies, money laundering, racketeering and illegal software production. The high profits from criminality, corrupt environment and possibility for money laundering make the organized crime vulnerable to the international community.
In 1997, 350 kilos of heroin was seized at the Serbian-Bulgarian border.
When Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
lost power in the October 2000 Bulldozer Revolution. However, a bloody feud soon emerged amongst the different "clans". The feud grew into an open war in which many of the mafia bosses were assassinated.
In 2000, a total 841 million € was determined to have been illegal profits in Serbia
Organized crime in Serbia had more money and better armed than the government and police, the Serbian Interior Minister Dušan Mihajlović
Dušan Mihajlovic (politician)
Dušan Mihajlović is a Serbian politician. Mihajlović was the founder and president of the New Democracy political party with its base in Valjevo, Serbia. Mihajlović earned a degree from the University of Belgrade's Law School...
said in 2001. He said Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
had given life to crime-syndicates as "state-sanctioned mafia". Prostitutes from the Soviet Republics working in Northern Europe
Northern Europe
Northern Europe is the northern part or region of Europe. Northern Europe typically refers to the seven countries in the northern part of the European subcontinent which includes Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden...
were working for Balkan organizations. After Milošević lost power the Mafia was seeking a new contact in the government In September 2001, 700 kilos of heroin was found in a bank vault rented by the BIA in central Belgrade. The illegal safekeeping was never explained nor brought up. The Zemun gang had "special training courses" with the BIA, lending them information on Kosovo Albanian terrorists.
In 2002, a "White Book" was compiled with 52 criminal organizations of Serbia, none of which had been terminated by the year's end. The same year it was concluded that the Protection rackets in the harbour cities of the Black Sea were run by Serbian, Russian and Ukrainian OC.
In February 2003, Serbian police busted several pharmaceutical factories near Belgrade with a large quantity of amphetamine, the ringleader Milan Zarubica produced tonnes of drugs that he exported throughout Europe. He got 12 years and fourteen of his associates got sentences as well.
During the period that started with the Yugoslav wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
and ended with the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić in March 2003, connections between the mafia and the government were obvious and corruption was rampant in most branches of the government, from border patrols to law-enforcement agencies. On March 12, 2003, Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić was assassinated
Assassination of Zoran Đinđić
The assassination of Zoran Đinđić, the Prime Minister of Serbia, took place on Wednesday, March 12, 2003, in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro.- Background :The assassination of Đinđić was preceded by several unsuccessful attempts on his life...
by former Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
Special Operations Unit (Red Berets, transformed from Arkan's Tigers) Zvezdan Jovanovic. Legija was involved in the assasination and he too was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Đinđić had connections within the Surčin for the earlier overthrowing of Milošević. The government set in motion a major bust on criminality in - "Operation Sablja
Operation Sablja
The Operation Sablja was launched on March 12, 2003, following the assassination of Zoran Đinđić, the Prime Minister of Serbia. The assassination destabilized the government. Immediately after the assassination, a state of emergency was declared by interim president Nataša Mićić...
" (English: Sabre), which led to more than 10,000 arrests. New Belgrade malls, a frequent place of gangsters, went down more than 20+% after the Operation 123 criminal groups were broken with 844 members awaiting trial; 3,949 people were issued criminal complaints, 28 kilos of heroin, 463 grams of Cocaine, 44 837 kilos of Marijuana, 4 960 synthetic drugs and 688 stolen cars were found by the day. Milan Sarajlić, the Deputy State Prosecutor of Serbia was arrested and confessed the involvement (being on payroll) with the Zemun clan. 140 kilos of marijuana is seized in Belgrade and 4 people are arrested in November, 2003. The Red Berets are dissolved on 23 March 2003.
In 2003 a White Book is published titled "Albanian terrorism and Organized Crime in Kosovo and Metohija". A total of 126 groups were registered by 2003.
In 2005 it was confirmed that Serbia loses 7.5 million RSD because of economic crime, the estimated total loss to criminal activity is at 200 million € yearly.
In 2006 It was revealed that Dušan Spasojević
Dušan Spasojevic
Dušan Spasojević, also known by his widely used nicknames Šiptar and Duća, was the head of one of the largest Serbian criminal groups on record, the Zemun clan....
, the gang leader of the Zemun clan
Zemun Clan
The Zemun Clan is one of the Belgrade clans of the Serbian Mafia. The name is based on the base of the clan i.e. Zemun, a municipality of Belgrade....
, was a connection to Serbian Radicals leader Vojislav Šešelj
Vojislav Šešelj
Vojislav Šešelj, JD is a Serbian politician, writer and lawyer. He is the founder and president of the Serbian Radical Party and was vice-president of Serbia between 1998 and 2000...
, whom he had given information about high-profile murders carried out in Serbia, written about in Šešelj's two books (Spasojević under pseudonym Laufer) More than 360 kilograms of heroin was seized in the first half of the year.
In January, 2009, Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić
Ivica Dacic
Ivica Dačić is a Serbian politician. He is the leader of Socialist Party of Serbia and is First Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of Internal Affairs....
estimated some 30 to 40 serious organized crime groups operating in Serbia. The figures does not include smaller size criminal groups but more organized, involved in drug trafficking and arms trafficking, human trafficking, murder and larger robberies.
In September, 2009, 22 of the Elez group is arrested by the Serbian police, dubbed the most dangerous gang in Western Balkans. The leader, Darko Elez, is captured with 5 other members in Serbia, 13 members are captured in Bosnia & Herzegovina, of which 3 were police officers
Police seized 2.8 tons (2,800 kg, worth 120 million €) of cocaine shipment from Uruguay on October 17, 2009, the BIA and American DEA made the joint operation.
On October 31, 2009, Serbian police arrested over 500 people in the biggest anti-drug bust ever in Serbia.
The Interior Ministry organized the Morava-operation that would focus on drug trafficking to young people in the primary and secondary schools, clubs and cafes and would encompass 2,000 police officers searching the whole country.
In November, 2009, Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
Police arrested 5 Serbian drug couriers and seized their 492 kilograms of cocaine in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, One of the largest drug busts in 2009. The routs of the drugs were from Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
via Central alt. South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
to Northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
alt. Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
to Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
. Also, Serbian organized crime experts estimated 10,000 foot soldiers part of 5 major organized crime groups operating in Serbia. A courier package of 5 kilos cocaine was intercepted from Paraguay, 4 Belgraders were arrested.
The busts were part of the Operation Balkan Warrior; an international drug smuggling case that involves mainly the Zemun clan
Zemun Clan
The Zemun Clan is one of the Belgrade clans of the Serbian Mafia. The name is based on the base of the clan i.e. Zemun, a municipality of Belgrade....
, a name concluded as leader of the drug ring is Željko Vujanović.
In December, 2009, Ivica Dačić
Ivica Dacic
Ivica Dačić is a Serbian politician. He is the leader of Socialist Party of Serbia and is First Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of Internal Affairs....
said "half of the Serbian sport clubs are led by people with links to organized crime". 21 kilos of heroin ($1,5-million) was found in a Belgrade flat rented by a Montenegrin national, the drugs were brought from Turkey.
In January, 2010, a 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) lot illegally owned by the Zemun clan was seized at Šilerova Street in Zemun
Zemun
Zemun is a historical town and one of the 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia...
, Belgrade, the clans headquarters.
By January 21, The Balkan Warrior Operation included 19 suspects, 9 of whom are in custody, new arrests are Darko Šarić and Goran Soković who are colleagues of Željko Vujanović. Also, the same day, a 8-man crime group involved in stealing of oil over a two-year period from the NIS
Naftna Industrija Srbije
Naftna Industrija Srbije is an oil company in Serbia. The company's main business is the oil and gas exploration, production, importing, processing, transportation, and marketing of oil and oil products in Serbia. It holds monopoly on all oil imports until 2011 except the high quality diesel fuel...
pipelines, the crude oil was sold through a company, worth several hundred thousands of euros, among the arrested is a member of the MUP.
On February 10, Serbia's top officials said serious daily death threats from the narco-mafia have been directed against President Boris Tadić, Deputy Prime minister and Interior minister Ivica Dačić, Special prosecutor for organized crime Miljko Radisavljević among other top government officials.
On February 18, a group of six robbers from Belgrade were arrested, they had since 2008 stolen more than 10 million RSD from banks, post offices, gas stations, exchange offices and stores. They were all in the ages 18–23.
On February 19, Interior Minister Ivica Dačić said that more than 50 suspects were arrested today in an ongoing operation aimed against financial crime and money laundering conducted in Valjevo
Valjevo
Valjevo is a city and municipality located in western Serbia. It is the center of the Kolubara District, which includes five other smaller municipalities with a total population of almost 180,000 people...
, Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
, Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Šabac
Šabac
Šabac is a city and municipality in western Serbia, along the Sava river, in the historic region of Mačva. It is the administrative center of the Mačva District. The city has a population of 52,822 , while population of the municipality is 115,347...
, Sremska Mitrovica
Sremska Mitrovica
Sremska Mitrovica is a city and municipality located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia, on the left bank of the Sava river. As of 2002 the town had a total population of 39,041, while Sremska Mitrovica municipality had a population of 85,605...
, Čačak
Cacak
Čačak is a city in central Serbia. It is the administrative center of the Moravica District of Serbia. Čačak is also the main industrial, cultural and sport center of the district...
and Sombor
Sombor
Sombor is a city and municipality located in northwest part of Serbian autonomous province of Vojvodina. The city has a total population of 48,749 , while the Sombor municipality has 87,815 inhabitants...
.
In March 2010, Stanko Subotić, aka Cane, head of the so called "Tobacco Mafia" and on an international arrest warrant of Serbia, accused Nebojša Medojević
Nebojša Medojevic
Nebojša Medojević is a politician in Montenegro. He is the president of Movement for Changes , a political party emerging from the Montenegrin NGO Group for Changes...
, the Montenegrin party leader of Movement for Change
Movement for Change
The Movement for Change also known as Change List or Gorran is a reformist Iraqi Kurdish political party under the leadership of Nawshirwan Mustafa, founded in 2009 it is the official opposition to the ruling two-party coalition of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan...
of having organized a manhunt on him on the orders of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n businessman Milan Beko and Delta Holding owner Miroslav Mišković after they stole 50 million from Cane to buy Port of Belgrade
Port of Belgrade
Port of Belgrade is a cargo port on the Danube river in Belgrade, Serbia. It is located in the center of Belgrade, near Pančevo Bridge. The port also manages the passenger terminal on the nearby Sava river. Port transfer capacity is 3,000,000 tons per year and 10 000 TEUs...
and daily newspaper Večernje Novosti
Vecernje novosti
Večernje novosti is a Belgrade-based daily newspaper. Founded in 1953, it quickly grew into a high-circulation daily.It first appeared on stands on October 16, 1953 edited by Slobodan Glumac who set the newspaper's tone for years to come...
. Medojević had claimed that Cane and Darko Šarić had been hiding in a Montenegrin police villa in Žabljak
Žabljak
Žabljak is a small town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 1,937.Žabljak is the seat of the municipality...
, while Cane said in an interview that he was in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It is not quite clear why Zoran Đinđić the democratic leader invited his friend Stanko Subotić to invest in Serbia after the downfall of Milošević. If Stanko Subotić was really the head of the Tobacco Mafia, Zoran Đinđić would not have invited him. It seems that Subotić may not have been involved in illegal activities but was slurred by Serbian politicians and businessmen who wanted to monopolize trade and business in Serbia, and to block independent financial support for the Democratic Party.
In 11 March, a "well-known" entrepreneur was arrested with 1.2 kilograms of heroine meant for resale in Jagodina
Jagodina
Jagodina is a city and municipality located in central Serbia, 136 km south of Belgrade, on the banks of Belica River. Its name stems from the word for strawberry in Serbian. It is the administrative centre of the Pomoravlje District of Serbia...
.
In 19 March, Boris Tadić vowed an all-out war on the Serbian mafia, in particular drug trafficking that is considered the biggest threat in society. Tadić has evidence that Serbian cartels have attempted to penetrate state institutions to destabilise the government. "The latest property seizures prove that those groups have laundered narco money by investing not only into their personal houses and land but also in tourism, factories and distribution of the press," Tadić said.
On 28 March 2010, 2 Bosniaks
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
from Novi Pazar
Novi Pazar
Novi Pazar is a city and municipality located in southwest Serbia, in the Raška District. According to the official census in 2011, number of inhabitants of municipality is 92,776, while the city itself has a population of 60,638...
(Serbian citizens) were arrested at the Zagreb Airport
Zagreb Airport
Zagreb Airport , also known as Pleso Airport after the nearby suburb of Pleso, is the main international airport of Croatia and also a Croatian Air Force and Defense major fighter jet base. Located 10 km from the central railway station in Zagreb, it served 2,071,561 passengers in 2010 and is the...
with at least 1.7 kilograms of cocaine for the Serbian drug market. The pure cocaine came from Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
where they had spent the month traveling from Belgrade. The drugs were soaked in their clothes, estimated worth on the streets of Croatia was 70,000€.
In April 2010, it was concluded that Darko Šarić's gang had planned an operation against Serbian officials, including the president. Encrypted
Encryption
In cryptography, encryption is the process of transforming information using an algorithm to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key. The result of the process is encrypted information...
messages in local newspapers were dechiffered by investigators and after long surveillance of the clan it was concluded that several hitmen were to kill Serbian officials of the MUP, BIA and state officials in a synchronized and highly well-coordinated way. The Šarić clan wants to liquidate people that are in their way, after the Balkan Warrior Operation that heavily decreased crime in Serbia and Montenegro.
On May 14, 2010, 3 Serbs who worked security for one of Bolivia's top drug lords were killed in a shootout with rival crime groups, the drug lord was kidnapped.
Interior Minister Ivica Dačić submitted the work report for 2009; the police had uncovered 7 OC groups and arrested 86 people. He said that by the end of 2009 there were 27 registered OC groups active, with each group having more than 200 members.
There is currently an ongoing investigation against Zemun clan members involved in assassinations who claim that Šešelj has ordered the assassination of Tomislav Nikolić
Tomislav Nikolic
Tomislav "Toma" Nikolić is a Serbian politician, President of the Serbian Progressive Party. He is also a former member of the Serbian Radical Party, where he served as Deputy Leader of the party and parliamentary leader during the absence of Vojislav Šešelj...
.
In 2010 it was revealed that the Šarić gang had, in 2008 and 2009, ousted the 'Ndrangheta from the drug market. With the emergance of the gang on Italian soil, the gang offered better quality cocaine for a lower price, effectively gaining the market from 2007–2009, trafficking cocaine from South America. The Operation Balkan Warrior was successful in Italy, with over 80 people arrested. Two networks were among the arrested, one Italian, with members from Milan and other northern Italian towns, and the other, a Serbian network, with members from Serbia, Montenegro and Slovenia. The Serbian network has operatives all over Europe and South America.
Belgrade neighbourhoods
- New Belgrade (Novi Beograd) gangs, organized in different BlokoviBlokoviBlokovi is the semi-formal plural name for a group of urban neighborhoods in Belgrade's municipality of Novi Beograd....
(neighbourhoods), during the 90's the gangsters of New Belgrade were very successful but had after the Yugoslav warsYugoslav warsThe Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
been killed by each other. - SurčinSurcinSurčin is a neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is the youngest of Belgrade's 17 municipalities, as it split from the municipality of Zemun in 2003. Surčin municipality has 38,695 residents while Surčin town itself has 14,292...
clan, at the beginning car thefts, smuggling of petrol and cigarettes, moved on to narcotics. Had connections with officials in police, judiciary and politicians mostly prior to the Operation SabljaOperation SabljaThe Operation Sablja was launched on March 12, 2003, following the assassination of Zoran Đinđić, the Prime Minister of Serbia. The assassination destabilized the government. Immediately after the assassination, a state of emergency was declared by interim president Nataša Mićić...
. - Zemun clanZemun ClanThe Zemun Clan is one of the Belgrade clans of the Serbian Mafia. The name is based on the base of the clan i.e. Zemun, a municipality of Belgrade....
, Drug trafficking, contract-killing, abduction. Had connections with officials in police, judiciary and politicians mostly prior to the Operation SabljaOperation SabljaThe Operation Sablja was launched on March 12, 2003, following the assassination of Zoran Đinđić, the Prime Minister of Serbia. The assassination destabilized the government. Immediately after the assassination, a state of emergency was declared by interim president Nataša Mićić...
. Head was Legija, a former member of French Legion, Arkan's tigerSerb Volunteer GuardThe Serb Volunteer Guard also known as Arkan's Tigers was a Serbian volunteer paramilitary unit, founded and led by Željko Ražnatović, that fought in Croatia ; Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Kosovo War ....
and Serbian Red Beret.- Šarić gang
- VoždovacVoždovacVoždovac is an urban neighborhood and one of 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.- Location :...
clan, the leader Goran VukovićGoran VukovicGoran Vuković "Majmun" was a Serbian mobster and murderer.-Killing of Ljubomir Magas:...
"Majmun" (monkey) killed godfather Ljuba Zemunac. - ZvezdaraZvezdaraZvezdara is a hill, forest, urban neighborhood and one of 17 municipalities which constitute City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.- Location :...
clan, - DorćolDorcolDorćol is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Stari Grad.- Location :Dorćol begins already some 700 meters north of Terazije, the central square of Belgrade...
group, drug trafficking - KaraburmaKaraburmaKaraburma is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of Palilula.- Location :...
One of the strongest group in Belgrade, drug trafficking
The clans have control over wide networks of smaller groups.
Notable people
The reign of Slobodan MiloševićSlobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
represented the height of power of Serbian organized crime, when mafiosos and government officials were intertwined. Milošević had criminals work for him in different special units. The role of several Belgrade gangsters was described in the documentary film "Vidimo se u čitulji
Vidimo se u citulji
See You in the Obituary is a 1995 made-for-TV 35-minute documentary directed by Janko Baljak based on the book The Crime That Changed Serbia by Aleksandar Knežević and Vojislav Tufegdžić...
" ("See You in the Obituary").
| Name Alias |
Born/died | Title | Info | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mafiosi | ||||
| Željko Ražnatović Željko Ražnatovic Željko Ražnatović , widely known as Arkan was a Serbian career criminal and later a paramilitary leader who was notable for organizing and leading a paramilitary force in the Yugoslav Wars... "Arkan" |
1952–2000 | Head Boss | Considered the most powerful criminal in Serbia until his assassination in 15 January 2000 . | Own network |
| Zoran Šijan | 1964–1999 | Boss | Killed on 27 November 1999. He was the husband of Serbian Turbo-folk singer Goca Božinovska Goca Božinovska Gordana "Goca" Božinovska is a Serbian pop-folk singer.- Biography :... . |
Surčin |
| Milan Lukovic "Kum" |
||||
| Head | Head of one of the largest Serbian criminal groups on record, the Zemun clan.The peak of this cartel's influence occurred from 2000 until 2003 when Lukovic was killed by Serbian police on March 27, 2003 during a country-wide manhunt initiated after the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić. | Zemun | ||
| Georg Stanković "Žorž" |
-1993 | Boss | One of the infamous mob bosses of the older generation. He was murdered on October 1, 1993 by a sole hitman. | |
| Mihajlo Divac | -1995 | Boss | Leader of the Novi Beograd Novi Beograd Novi Beograd or New Belgrade is the most populous municipality that constitutes the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is a planned city, built in 1947 on the left bank of the Sava river which was previously an uninhabited area, opposite of the old Belgrade... gang at time, he had previously survived a number of murder attempts. Divac was gunned down in the hall of the Hotel "Putnik", in Belgrade in 1995. |
Novi Beograd |
| Jusuf Bulić "Jusa" |
-1998 | Lieutenant | One of Arkan's closest lieutenants, killed in 1998. | Arkan |
| Dušan Spasojević Dušan Spasojevic Dušan Spasojević, also known by his widely used nicknames Šiptar and Duća, was the head of one of the largest Serbian criminal groups on record, the Zemun clan.... "Šiptar" "Duća" |
||||
| Head | Head of one of the largest Serbian criminal groups on record, the Zemun clan.The peak of this cartel's influence occurred from 2000 until 2003 when Spasojević was killed by Serbian police on March 27, 2003 during a country-wide manhunt initiated after the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić. | Zemun | ||
| Ljubomir Magaš Ljubomir Magaš Ljubomir Magaš was a Yugoslav amateur boxer, streetfighter and gangster. He was commonly known by his nickname Ljuba Zemunac .-Early days:... "Ljuba Zemunac" |
1948–1986 | Boss | A Yugoslav amateur boxer, streetfighter and gangster, during the 70's and 80's he operated his own gang in Germany and was killed in 1986 by rival Goran Vuković "Majmun". | Own gang |
| Đorđe Božović "Giška" |
1955–1991 | Boss | One of the closest friends of Ljubomir Magaš. He was killed in Gospic. | |
| Sreten Jocić Sreten Jocić Joca Amsterdam is Serbian gangster originating from Belgrade suburb of Surčin who operated in Holland... "Joca Amsterdam" "Cocaine-King" |
Boss Underboss |
One of most known mafiosi, became strongest in Netherlands through his elimination of rivals. He smuggled cocaine from Colombia. He worked under "Duja" Becirovic as underboss in the Belgrade group and became boss after Duja died in 1990 after Bruinsma Klaas Bruinsma (drug lord) Klaas Bruinsma was a major Dutch drug lord, shot to death by mafia member and former police officer Martin Hoogland... hired the kill. He smuggled drugs in Bulgaria and was arrested in 2002. In Serbia, he took over companies with the Surčin clan. Joca was involved in the 2008 car bomb 2008 Zagreb bombing The 23 October 2008 Zagreb bombing was an attack by a remote-detonation car bomb fitted on a motorcycle outside the Croatian Nacional newspaper's premises in the Croatian capital, Zagreb. The attack killed the owner of the newspaper, Ivo Pukanić, and Niko Franjić, its marketing manager, and injured... which killed journalist Ivo Pukanić Ivo Pukanic Ivo Pukanić was a Croatian journalist and the editor of the popular Croatian political weekly Nacional.-Life and career:Pukanić was born in Zagreb... in Zagreb. |
Belgrade group | |
| Aleksandar Golubović Kristijan Golubovic Aleksandar "Kristijan" Golubović is a Serbian gangster and Mixed martial artist.... "Kristijan" |
1969- | The only surviving gangster of top Belgrade criminals in the 90's | ||
| Milorad Ulemek Milorad Ulemek Milorad "Legija" Ulemek , also known as Milorad Luković is a former commander of the Serbian secret police special unit, the Red Berets , convicted of the assassinations of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic and former Serbian President Ivan Stambolic and organiser of the attempted murder of the... "Legija" |
Boss | Arkan's Tigers member during the Yugoslav wars, transferred into the Red berets by Milošević, involved in Đinđić murder | Arkan Zemun |
|
| Aleksandar Knežević "Knele" |
1971–1992 | The youngest "star" of the Serbian mafia at the beginning of the 1990s, he was a bodyguard Bodyguard A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such... to Serbian politician Vuk Drašković Vuk Draškovic Vuk Drašković , leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement, is a Serbian politician who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Yugoslavia and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of State Union of Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia.He graduated from the University of Belgrade's Law School in 1968... . Knežević was murdered on October 28, 1992 in his room at the "Hyatt Hyatt Hyatt Hotels Corporation , is an international operator of hotels.Hyatt Center is the headquarters for Hyatt corporation... " hotel in Belgrade. |
Voždovac Giška |
|
| Goran Vuković Goran Vukovic Goran Vuković "Majmun" was a Serbian mobster and murderer.-Killing of Ljubomir Magas:... "Majmun" |
1959–1994 | Boss | Murdered Ljuba Zemunac outside the court in 1986. Was assassinated alongside mob Dušan Malović in downtown Belgrade on December 12, 1994 | Voždovac |
| Božidar Stanković "Batica" |
-1996 | Georg Stanković's son, he was murdered on June 23, 1996 by a sole hitman. | ||
| Zoran Dimitrov "Žuća" |
1966–1996 | Had priorly survived a number of assassination attempts, but was killed on October 6, 1996 by a sole hitman. | Voždovac | |
| Rade Ćaldović "Ćenta" |
-1997 | The infamous Belgrade Belgrade Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe... mafioso, was murdered on February 14, 1997 in his car in Belgrade Belgrade Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe... by two assassins. |
||
| Zoran Todorović "Kundak" |
-1997 | Killed on 24 October 1997. | ||
| Darko Ašanin | -1998 | A Belgrade gangster involved with drugs and killings. His uncle was Pavle Bulatović, the late Defense Minister. Murdered on June 30, 1998, in his cafe "Koloseum" in Dedinje by a sole hitman. | ||
| Radoslav Trlajić "Bata Trlaja" |
-2000 | A Belgrade mob boss and a member of the Novi Beograd Novi Beograd Novi Beograd or New Belgrade is the most populous municipality that constitutes the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is a planned city, built in 1947 on the left bank of the Sava river which was previously an uninhabited area, opposite of the old Belgrade... gang. He was famous for referring to Serbia and Belgrade in the nineties as "a pond too small for so many crocodiles". He was murdered on February 26, 2000 by Mile Luković of the Zemun Zemun Zemun is a historical town and one of the 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia... gang. |
Novi Beograd | |
| Zoran Davidović "Ćanda" |
-2000 | Murdered while returning from the funeral of Branislav Lainović on March 23, 2000 by the Zemun clan. | ||
| Stanko Subotić "Cane" |
Boss | Head of the Tobacco Mafia that smuggled cigarettes throughout Europe, allegedly connected with Serbian and Montenegrin officials. | Own gang Tobacco Mafia |
|
| Assassinations & connected people | ||||
| Radovan Stojičić "Badža" |
-1997 | Chief | a police chief killed on 10 April 1997 in the pizza parlour "Mama Mia" in Belgrade by a sole hitman. | Police |
| Zoran Uskoković "Skole" |
-2000 | Businessman | a Belgrade businessman, was murdered on April 27, 2000 by the members of the Zemun clan. | |
| Momir Gavrilović | Deputy Chief (Retired) |
was killed by Milorad Ulemek Milorad Ulemek Milorad "Legija" Ulemek , also known as Milorad Luković is a former commander of the Serbian secret police special unit, the Red Berets , convicted of the assassinations of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic and former Serbian President Ivan Stambolic and organiser of the attempted murder of the... "Legija" and the Zemun clan in an attempt to damage Zoran Đinđić's administration by convincing the public that he was killed for delivering "evidence" of government ties with the criminals. Sretko Kalinić Sretko Kalinić Sretko Kalinić, also known as "The Beast", or "The White" is a Serbian gangster, contract killer and mass murderer, best known as one of the conspirators in the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic.- Early life :... 's, the number one hitman of the Zemun clan, DNA was found on the murder spot. Zvezdan Jovanović Zvezdan Jovanovic Zvezdan Jovanović , also known as Zveki and Zmija assassinated former Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić on 12 March 2003.... was asked to carry out the assassination. |
BIA | |
| Klaas Bruinsma Klaas Bruinsma (drug lord) Klaas Bruinsma was a major Dutch drug lord, shot to death by mafia member and former police officer Martin Hoogland... "De Lange" |
1953-June 27, 1991 | Drug lord | A Dutch drug lord killed on June 27, 1991 by Martin Hoogland, a former police hired by Joca Amsterdam as a revenge for the killing of Joca's boss, the previous Belgrade group leader Duja. | |
| Radojica Nikčević | -1993 | Businessman | Had strong ties FR Yugoslav leadership; Milošević and Arkan. He was suspected of having ties with the Medellin cartel. | |
| Smail Tarić | -2008 | Beheaded because of his connections with the police by two members of the Berane Berane Berane , formerly Ivangrad, is a town in north-eastern Montenegro. It has a population of 11,776 .Berane is the centre of municipality and one of the centres of Polimlje area, named after the Lim River, on which Berane is situated.-History:During the medieval period the Montenegrin land of Berane... Clan, Velibor Brkić and Milos Rašić. |
||
| Branislav Lainović "Dugi" |
-2000 | Businessman | Businessman from Novi Sad Novi Sad Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river.... . Murdered in Belgrade on March 21, 2000 by Miloš Simović of the Zemun gang. |
|
Activity outside Serbia
The Pink Panthers international jewel thief network is responsible for some of the most audacious thefts in criminal history. They are responsible for what have been termed some of the most glamorous heists ever, with their crimes being thought of as "artistry" even by criminologistCriminology
Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
s. They have targeted several countries and continents, and include Japan's most successful robbery ever amongst their thefts.
Interpol believes that the group are responsible for US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
130 million in bold robberies in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
. They are believed to be responsible for the robbery of the jewellery store Harry Winston in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, on December 9, 2008. The thieves escaped with more than €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
80 million worth of jewellery. The total worth of jewellery that has been stolen by the Pink Panthers was 250 million € in May, 2010.
Australia
The first Serbian mafiosi came to AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in the late 70's, organized in a Yugoslav
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
clan, their headquarters were some 15 kafanas in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Wollongong and Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
.
In the 80's the Serbian Mafia was reinforced with the arrival of Serbian immigrants.
Milivoje Matović "Miša Kobra", arrived to Sydney in 1986 and became a known gambler who organized big games. His younger brother Braca owed money to the gang of Žorž Stanković, Žorž sent his son Batica for Miša Kobra whose friend Boža Cvetić threw down the street after he had pointed a gun at them. Batica was deported to Serbia and Braca was killed in the meantime. Žorž was killed in 1993 and his son Batica in 1996.
In 2005 interviews with Australian Serbs
Serbian Australian
Serbian Australians are citizens of Australia who are of Serbian ancestry. According to the 2006 census, there are 95,364 people in Australia who are of Serbian ancestry. Serbs have migrated to Australia in various waves during the 20th century...
, it was said some 20 Zemun clan
Zemun Clan
The Zemun Clan is one of the Belgrade clans of the Serbian Mafia. The name is based on the base of the clan i.e. Zemun, a municipality of Belgrade....
members operated in Australia at the time, double the number working prior to Operation Sablja
Operation Sablja
The Operation Sablja was launched on March 12, 2003, following the assassination of Zoran Đinđić, the Prime Minister of Serbia. The assassination destabilized the government. Immediately after the assassination, a state of emergency was declared by interim president Nataša Mićić...
. Serbian boxer Božidar Cvetić who in 2002 was stabbed, now worked as a bouncer in Australia said that Australian police had shown him pictures of some 150 Serbian criminals active in Australia.
In May 2007, Australian police saw recruitment to organized crime motorcycle gangs from young Serbs.
Austria
The Serbian Mafia was the main operators of drug trafficking and cigarette smuggling in Austria in 2004 and Austria was the home to many Serbian gangs.On October 27, 1978 Veljko Krivokapić secretly met with Ljubomir Magaš, a member of the gang he had just left, at the Zur Hauptpost coffee house in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Magaš and another Yugoslav, Rade Caldović, grabbed Krivokapić and fractured his skull with a glass bottle.
Involvement with Corsican
Unione Corse
The Unione Corse is a secretive criminal organization operating primarily out of Corsica and Marseilles in France. Unlike the Sicilian Mafia, it has not attempted to gain a foothold in the United States, and thus does not have the other organization's notoriety...
gangsters in late 1960s.
- Stevan MarkovicStevan MarkovicStevan Markovic, also Stevan Marković in Serbian: Стеван Марковић was a bodyguard of moviestar Alain Delon. He was found murdered in 1968....
's body was found in garbage bags in 1968. He was the former bodyguard of Alain DelonAlain DelonAlain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon is a French actor. He rose quickly to stardom, and by the age of 23 was already being compared to French actors such as Gérard Philipe and Jean Marais, as well as American actor James Dean. He was even called the male Brigitte Bardot...
. His godfather, Corsican gangster Francois MarcantoniFrancois MarcantoniFrançois Marcantoni was a Corsican gangster, member of French resistance, a bank robber and a writer.-World War II:...
, was under investigation for murder and spent 11 months in custody.
The Pink Panthers have operated in Austria.
Belgium
In 1990, Kosovo Albanian Human Rights Activist Enver HadriEnver Hadri
Enver Hadri was an Kosovo Albanian human rights activist. According to an Albanian blog AACL, he was assassinated by three Serbs while he stopped at a traffic light in Brussels, allegedly working for State Security Administration. This happened in the commune of Saint-Gilles, at the crossroads...
is assassinated in Brussels by Veselin Vukotić, Andrija Lakonić, and Darko Ašanin, at the time hired by the UDBA
UDBA
The Department of State Security was the secret police organization of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.Although it operated with more restraint than other secret...
(Yugoslav intelligence).
Bosnia
The Serbian Mafia is the largest organized crime group in Bosnia & Herzegovina with operations from the entityEntity
An entity is something that has a distinct, separate existence, although it need not be a material existence. In particular, abstractions and legal fictions are usually regarded as entities. In general, there is also no presumption that an entity is animate.An entity could be viewed as a set...
of Republic of Srpska.
The Zemun clan is active in Bosnia.
Bulgaria
From 1994-1997 Zemun clan leader Dusan Spasojevic used heroin supplies channels through Sofia.In 1997, 350 kilos of heroin was seized at the Serbian-Bulgarian border.
Sreten Jocić
Sreten Jocić
Joca Amsterdam is Serbian gangster originating from Belgrade suburb of Surčin who operated in Holland...
(Joca Amsterdam) escaped custody in Netherlands in 1993, he left for Bulgaria where he would continue his drug smuggling under the pseudonym "Marko Milosavljevic". He was arrested in 2002 and extradited to Netherlands.
One Macedonian national and 2 Bulgarians were arrested during the Operation Moonlight linked with the Zemun clan; they trafficked cocaine from Bolivia.
Zemun clan member Nenad Milenković "Milenko" was arrested in 2003 at the Varna resort, following the international warrant by the Serbian police after Operation Sablja
Operation Sablja
The Operation Sablja was launched on March 12, 2003, following the assassination of Zoran Đinđić, the Prime Minister of Serbia. The assassination destabilized the government. Immediately after the assassination, a state of emergency was declared by interim president Nataša Mićić...
. He was suspected of orchestrating at least 3 murders in Bulgaria and some 20 in Serbia.
The Zemun clan successfully managed the drug traffic from Bulgaria after 2003, taking over the market from Surcin-associate Sreten Jocić.
Bulgarian tycoon Iliya Pavlov was murdered by Serbian Mafia in 2004 it is believed. He owed 250 million dollars to the Milosevic regime.
Croatian hitman Robert Matanic and his colleagues were hired by the Zemun clan to kill people of the concurrenting Bulgarian Mafia for the Balkan drug route. Dimitar Hristov, Kaloyan Savov and Zhivko Mitev were killed in a shootout on June 4, 2004. Matanic and his men were hired by Milcho Bonev (SIC
SIC
Sic is a Latin word that means "thus" or, in writing, "it was thus in the source material".Sic may also refer to:* Sic, Cluj, a commune in Romania* SiC, Silicon carbide, a semiconducting material, also used to make metalworking tools from...
) as bodyguards after friends of Matanic introduced by his Serbian friends in the Zemun clan. Milcho Bonev was assassinated in 2004, believed to be organized by the Serbian Mafia.
In September 2007, a believed internal feud resulted in the death of Jovica Lukic, the critical wounding of 2 other men, a mother and her baby. The men were all members of the Zemun clan.
Former Litex president Angel Bonchev had business with the Zemun clan. He was kidnapped in 2008.
The Zemun clan is active in Bulgaria.
Croatia
The murder of Croatian publisher and founder of weekly "Nacional" Ivo PukanićIvo Pukanic
Ivo Pukanić was a Croatian journalist and the editor of the popular Croatian political weekly Nacional.-Life and career:Pukanić was born in Zagreb...
and his marketing chief Niko Franjić in 2008 was ordered by Sreten Jocić
Sreten Jocić
Joca Amsterdam is Serbian gangster originating from Belgrade suburb of Surčin who operated in Holland...
who hired Željko Milovanović, a former Red Berets member who bombed the car of the publisher with the help of Milenko Kuzmanović. Pukanic had ties to Balkan criminals. All three were arrested by the Serbian police.
Czech Republic
In the 90's, Serbian organized groups was one of the leading syndicates operating in Czech republic. A letter was sent to Czech newspapers containing information on a supposed future assassination of President Havel by 5 members (Vaso, Krule, Draza, and Micko) and their whereabouts, the letter was written in broken Czech, thought by the Police to be sent by a rival gang.Denmark
The Serbian-Danish actor Slavko LabovićSlavko Labovic
Slavko Labović is a Serbian-Danish actor most popular for the role as a Serbian gangster in the Pusher trilogy....
, who played Radovan in the movie Pusher
Pusher (film)
Pusher is a 1996 Danish crime film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. The film was not only a huge success in Denmark, but also in many other European countries. It was the film that launched Winding Refn's career. It became the first of a trilogy...
, was arrested, along with his brother, for possession of illegal arms (loaded gun) in Sweden. He was the director of the RK Company in Denmark, an illegal gambling company owned by Rade Kotur (Spelkungen, The Gambling King) a known figure in Sweden who hired the murder of Ratko Đokić
Ratko Đokić
Ratko Đokić, called Cobra was a Yugoslavian-Swedish mob boss, a leader of the so-called "Cigarette Mafia", composed of Swedish Serbs and Montenegrins. He owned a boxing gym in a southern suburb of Stockholm...
. During the trial of Rade Kotur
Rade Kotur
Rade Kotur, born circa 1952 is a Bosnian Serb living in Sweden, where he has run a gambling empire and been involved in organized crime. Swedish newspapers have dubbed him "The Gambling King"...
, Labović came to support Kotur.
Finland
Human trafficking and Illegal immigration was growing in Finland orchestrated by Serbian Organized crime groups in 2004 (alongside Chinese triads).France
Known in FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
as Mafia Serbe.
In 1962, Stevica Marković, Miša Milošević and Radovan Delić arrived in Paris, were part of the "Garderodameri" that was formed in 1966 with the arrival of Marko Nicovic.
Pink Panthers
Pink Panthers is the name given by Interpol to an international jewel thief network, named after The Pink Panther series of crime comedy films, which is responsible for some of the most audacious thefts in criminal history. They are responsible for what have been termed some of the most glamorous...
have operated in France. In October 2008, police officials in Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
arrested two members of the gang, a Serb and a Bosnian Serb. The gang is suspected of jewellery and gems theft at Harry Winston
Harry Winston
Harry Winston was an American jeweler. He donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958 after owning it for a decade, and traded the Portuguese Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1963.-History:...
for an estimated value of up to 80 million Euros or 105 million US dollars.
Greece
After the Yugoslav wars, Kristijan Golubović worked in Greece. In 2002 he escaped from Malandrino, a Greek prison where he was serving a 14 and a half years sentence for stealing two Mercedes-Benz cars and an armed robbery.In December 2009, two Serbs were arrested suspected of involvement of a major group smuggling cocaine from Peru to Montenegro on luxury yachts. The American DEA
DEA
DEA is the commonly used acronym for the Drug Enforcement Administration, a United States law enforcement agency.DEA or Dea may also refer to:- Organizations :* DEA , UK development education charity...
helped the Greek police to track the smuggling for 5 months. 2 other Serbs are wanted in Serbia.
Germany
Known in German as the GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Serbische Mafia, Jugoslawische Mafia.
The Serbian Mafia was the main operator of cigarette smuggling in Germany in 2004.
- Ljubomir MagašLjubomir MagašLjubomir Magaš was a Yugoslav amateur boxer, streetfighter and gangster. He was commonly known by his nickname Ljuba Zemunac .-Early days:...
"Ljuba Zemunac" ("Ljuba from Zemun"), "The Godfather", is considered as the ultimate boss of the Serbian mafia at the time. He was killed by two shots to the heart from close range in front of the courthouse in FrankfurtFrankfurtFrankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1986 by Goran VukovićGoran VukovicGoran Vuković "Majmun" was a Serbian mobster and murderer.-Killing of Ljubomir Magas:...
"Majmun". - Goran VukovićGoran VukovicGoran Vuković "Majmun" was a Serbian mobster and murderer.-Killing of Ljubomir Magas:...
"Majmun" ("Monkey"), who is most famous for killing Ljubomir Magaš, survived five murder attempts following the killing of Ljubomir Magaš before he was assassinated in downtown Belgrade in broad daylight in 1994. He was a member of the Vozdovac clan.
Slobodan Grbović "Slobo" left Italy for Germany in the 70's and became friends with Vaso Letećeg, a thief from Belgrade. In 1981 this friendship ended when they feuded over money, Slobo shot his patron Vaso and went to prison, Vaso survived.
In 1980, Branislav Saranovic, escapes the Wuppertal prison with the help of the Ljuba Zemunac gang who blew up a prison wall.
In February, 1988, Rade Caldovic is appointed the leader in Germany after good relations with the Italian Mafia in Milano. He becomes friend with Greek businessman Mihail Sainidis who owns over 15 casinos in southern Germany. On 30 March, Zoran Lucic, a Belgrade gangster kills an Albanian rival in Frankfurt.
In the 90's, the underground of former Eastern Germany
Eastern Germany
Eastern Germany may refer to:* New federal states of Germany, the states that joined the Federal Republic of Germany after 1990Historically:* Former eastern territories of Germany, territories lost by Germany during and after the two world wars...
was controlled by Italian, German, Russian, Vietnamese and Serbian organized groups. Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
was the centre of money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
, smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
, prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
and protection rackets due to the weak system. The most profitable operations of the groups from former Yugoslavia
Former Yugoslavia
The former Yugoslavia is a term used to describe the present day states which succeeded the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
was car thefts, luxury cars were stolen in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and sold to Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
.
Andrija Drašković, an heir to Arkan's syndicate following his assassination, was arrested by German police in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
after four years on the run from the Italian Anti-Organized Crime Unit. Drašković is believed to have organized the murder of his former boss Arkan.
The Pink Panthers have made jewellery robberies in Germany
Hungary
The main organized crime groups in Hungary in 2004 were the BulgarianBulgarian mafia
The Bulgarian mafia is an informal term to describe any number of organized crime groups originating from Bulgaria.-Organised crime groups and activities:...
and Serbian Mafia.
Italy
Dado Cerović "Metko" was the most powerful of Yugoslav criminals in Milano before moving to Genova. Bole Grčić "Bembe" and Miša Begonja "Glava Ciganin" were left of his entourage in Milano.In 1971 Ljubomir Magas
Ljubomir Magaš
Ljubomir Magaš was a Yugoslav amateur boxer, streetfighter and gangster. He was commonly known by his nickname Ljuba Zemunac .-Early days:...
arrived in Milano with "Dača" and he settled in Milan. His friend Rade Caldovic "Centa" was shot in his stomach in Verona by rival Bata Glavac, Caldovic later went to prison in Rome. The Yugoslav mafia in Milano was formed by Ljubomir Magas, Rade Caldovic, Veljko Krivokapic, Slobodan Grbović "Slobo Crnogorac", Milan Civija, Dule Milanovic, Dragan Malesevic, Mile Ojdanic, Sava Somborac, Pera Oziljak, Marinko Magda, Arkan, Djordje Bozovic "Giška". They did holdups, murders and burglaries in Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Milano.
Dragomir Petrović "Zmaj" (called Drago lo Slovo, Drago the Slav in Italian) was a Serbian gangster who found his way to Milano, he was connected with a godfather of the Italian Mafia in Calabria. He was involved with gambling, bank and jewellery robberies,
Later an influx of gangsters from SR Montenegro strengthened the Yugoslav position in the Italian underworld. Vlasto Petrović "Crnogorac", Djordje Božović and Darko Ašanin were connected with mafiosi operating from Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
; Branko and Slobo Šaranović, Brano Mićunović and Ratko Djokić, Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
; Miša Martinović, Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
; Marko Vlahović. In the same time Slobodan Grbović "Slobo Crnogorac" left for Germany and teamed up with Vaso Letećeg, a thief from Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
During the 90's the 'Ndrangheta acquired weapon arsenal (Bazookas, explosives, automatic firearms) built in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, imported through firms outside Italy
From 1994-2000 illegal cigarette smuggling in Italy was operated by the Serbian Mafia together with the Italian Mafia.
Zemun clan member Ninoslav Konstantinovic fled Netherlands to Italy after his brother was arrested in 2003. In Italy he became a leading heroin distributor and professional hitman, working for the Italian Mafia in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, he is recognized as highly skilled as many of his fellow Zemun clan members are known throughout Europe. His assassinations are known to be brutal and ruthless executions.
In May 2009, Vladimir Jovanović, a former Zemun clan member and Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
wanted was arrested in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
The presence of Serbian OC groups, among others, have increased rapidly the later years because of the badly controlled coastline.
Luxemburg
International burglary networks were present in 2004, mainly from Southeastern Europe (the Balkans).Macedonia
See also Macedonian MafiaMacedonian Mafia
The Macedonian Mafia is a term used to describe illegal gangs and criminal organisations operating in the Republic of Macedonia and within the Macedonian diaspora.-Background:...
- Branko Crvenkovski - self-proclaimed leader of the macedonian opposition. Godfather of illegal tobacco, oil and narcotic trading.
- Dragan Daravelski: Ran illegal operations in BelgradeBelgradeBelgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
and a counterfeiting ring in KumanovoKumanovoKumanovo is a city in the Republic of Macedonia and is the seat of Kumanovo Municipality which is the largest municipality in the country. Municipal institutions include a city council, mayor and other administrative bodies.-Name:...
.
- Zoran Boyadjiski, involved in drug trafficking in Germany, Bulgaria under the Zemun clan.
A Macedonian national was kidnapped for a 700.000 € ransom in 2004.
Stanislava Cocorovska Poletan, married to Ranko Poletan, a former commander of the Serbian Volunteer Guard (Arkan's tigers), was suspected of having orchestrated the transport of 486 kilos of cocaine seized at the border crossing of Blace
Blace
Blace is a town and municipality located in the Toplica District of Serbia. According to 2011 census, the population of the town is 5,261, while population of the municipality is 11,686.-Demographics:Ethnic groups in the municipality :...
, heading for Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
with the final destination in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. Poletan is linked with Serbian criminal organizations operating during the Milosevic regime with cigarette and alcohol smuggling, she is also said to be close to chief of Macedonian secret police Slobodan Bogoevski. Cocorovska, who is also a holder of a Serbian citizenship, was extradited to Macedonia in May 2007 and sentenced to 14,5 years of imprisonment.
Montenegro
Montenegro was in a state union with Serbia (Serbia & Montenegro, former FR Yugoslavia) from 1991-2006.The Serbian Mafia is the leading criminal group in Montenegro. Many of the Belgrade crime groups that were not caught during Operation Sablja hid in Montenegro.
The Zemun clan is active in Montenegro.
Netherlands
There has been a number of unsolved murder cases in AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
that have been linked to the activities of Serbian Organized Crime gangs. In recent years the Serbian mafia has been growing strong in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. In 2004, the Ecstacy and Heroin of Netherlands originated from the Balkan region, Serbian organized crime groups dominated the auto theft-smuggling.
- Sreten JocićSreten JocićJoca Amsterdam is Serbian gangster originating from Belgrade suburb of Surčin who operated in Holland...
("Joca Amsterdam"), is a hitman and a drug dealer. He is considered to be the leader for the Serbian mafia in Amsterdam.
On Christmas Eve, 1974, Slobodan Mitric killed 3 alleged UDBA members in Kafana "Mostar" in Amsterdam.
In 1977, Emilio Di Giovine was wounded and 2 of his men killed by rival Yugoslavs.
On 24 October 1979, Arkan, Slobodan Kostovski and an Italian are arrested while robbing a jewelry store in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, they had days earlier robbed a jeweller in Hague and were sought in several countries. On 8 May 1981, Arkan escaped from the Bijlmerbajes prison in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
with Italian Sergio Settimo, one of the most sought criminals in Europe.
In 1992, a member of the Chinese Triad is killed after a debt to the Serbian Mafia.
The Serbian OC groups have become stronger and has superseded the Russian Mafia in Netherlands and the arms trade is shared by Serbian and Turkish groups.
Norway
Non-Norwegian gangs and Organized Crime groups came to dominate Norway's drug trade in the 1980s. During the 1990s Norway saw a large influx of Yugoslavs seeking refugee status due to the conflict in the Balkan region.Slovenia
A growing trend of human trafficking by Balkan organized crime groups in 2004, Serbian organized crime operated the cigarette smuggling and arms trafficking. Serbian Mafia is the strongest organized group in Slovenia.Spain
A growing trend of auto theft was seen by Southeastern European organized crime groups in 2004, Serbian organized crime groups saw a growth in Spain.Sweden
Known in SwedishSwedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
as: Serbiska maffian, Jugoslaviska maffian, Juggemaffian.
The Serbian mafia in Sweden was said to be the top criminal organisation, but its influence has declined since the deaths of several leading figures.
A war was fought over the control of the trade of narcotics and cigarettes between Serbian Organized Crime leaders which resulted in Joksa's and Ratko Đokić's deaths.
Individuals associated to Serbian Organized Crime in Sweden:
- Ratko ĐokićRatko ĐokićRatko Đokić, called Cobra was a Yugoslavian-Swedish mob boss, a leader of the so-called "Cigarette Mafia", composed of Swedish Serbs and Montenegrins. He owned a boxing gym in a southern suburb of Stockholm...
"The Godfather", arms dealer and cigarette smuggler, he was murdered May 5, 2003 by Serbian hitmen hired by Rade Kotur, another notorious Serbian criminal.
- Dragan "Jokso" Joksović, notorious gambler and assumed cigarette smuggler, was murdered February 4, 1998 in SolvallaSolvallaSolvalla is a horse racing track located in Bromma, Stockholm, Sweden. It was opened in 1927 and is the biggest harness racing venue in the Nordic countries. The last Sunday in May, Solvalla annually hosts Elitloppet, one of trotting's most prestigious international events.-Elitloppet:*...
, StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
by a Finnish hitman hired by "Kova". He was a close friend of Arkan and is said to have helped Arkan on many occasions. Arkan and many other known mafia figures attended his funeral. As revenge, "Kova" was later killed in front of 60 guests at the order of Arkan.
- Milan Ševo, declared to be the last Head of the Serbian mafia in Sweden. He has survived many murder attempts and in 2004 he escaped from prison. He is married to Ratko Đokić's daughter. It is believed that he has connections with Swedish Hells Angels MC. He is currently living in Serbia where he is a successful businessman.
Sweden saw a large influx of ethnic Serbs during the 60s and 70s, when the "Arbetskraftsinvandring" took place; The labour force of immigrants who were granted citizenship (similar to Gastarbeiter
Gastarbeiter
Gastarbeiter is German for "guest worker." It refers to migrant workers who had moved to West Germany mainly in the 1960s and 70s, seeking work as part of a formal guest worker programme...
programme). In the 80's the Serbs were the main operators of drug smuggling in Sweden.
During the 90s a war on the cigarette trade was fought between factions of the Serbian Mafia in Sweden, it resulted in many deaths of top figures.
On March 15, 2003, a Colombian
Colombian people
Colombian people are from a multiethnic Spanish speaking nation in South America called Colombia. Colombians are predominantly Roman Catholic and are a mixture of Europeans, Africans, and Amerindians.-Demography:...
hitman
Hitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
hired by a rivaling gang failed an attempted assassination of Ševo and his companions at a K-15 fighting gala.
In 2003, in a storage room located in the Vårby Gård suburbs, the Swedish police found silenced firearms; Ak47's Uzi's and MP5's, bombs; grenades, plastic explosives and mine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
s. The arsenal was used by the Serbian Mafia in Sweden, the owner of the storage was Milan Ševo, the son-in-law of Ratko Đokić
Ratko Đokić
Ratko Đokić, called Cobra was a Yugoslavian-Swedish mob boss, a leader of the so-called "Cigarette Mafia", composed of Swedish Serbs and Montenegrins. He owned a boxing gym in a southern suburb of Stockholm...
, the former head of Mafia; the title soon inherited by Ševo.
On May 5, 2003, Ratko Đokić was assassinated outside his Boxing club in Skärholmen. One of the hitmen, Nenad Mišović
Nenad Mišovic
Nenad Mišović is a Serbian-born Swedish resident sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Ratko Djokić in May 2003. The prosecution argued that Mišović worked as a hit man on behalf of gangster Rade Kotur...
, was arrested in Europe years later. Mišović came to Sweden in 2002 after fleeing the police in Serbia. He was hired by Rade Kotur, a rival of Đokić
In 2004, the Serbian Mafia dominated the organized crime in Sweden, known uncovered operations were doping substances.
One of the chapters in the "Svensk Maffia" (Swedish Mafia)-book follows the history of the Serbian mafia in Sweden from the 60's to modern time.
Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n Interior Minister Ivica Dačić
Ivica Dacic
Ivica Dačić is a Serbian politician. He is the leader of Socialist Party of Serbia and is First Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of Internal Affairs....
claims that former members of the paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
Red Berets took part in the 2009 Västberga helicopter robbery one of the most spectacular heists in the history. One month prior to the robbery, the Swedish Embassy was allegedly given "certain information about a criminal group which was preparing a robbery" by Serbian police.
United Kingdom
On June 2, 2009, six Serbs were convicted together with several Israelis for their role in a major smuggling of 12.5 ton (£36m) marijuana, orchestrated by the Israeli mafiaIsraeli mafia
The Israeli mafia is the general term for organized crime groups operating in Israel and also internationally. Allegedly there are 16 crime families operating in Israel, five major groups active on the national-level, and 11 smaller organizations...
. The marijuana was seized as it travelled from Larache
Larache
Larache is an important harbour town in the region Tanger-Tétouan in northern Morocco. It was founded in the 7th century when a group of Muslim soldiers from Arabia extended their camp at Lixus onto the south bank of the Loukkos River.In 1471, the Portuguese settlers from Asilah and Tangier drove...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
to Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
on a tugboat under an Israeli flag.
The Pink Panthers
Pink Panthers
Pink Panthers is the name given by Interpol to an international jewel thief network, named after The Pink Panther series of crime comedy films, which is responsible for some of the most audacious thefts in criminal history. They are responsible for what have been termed some of the most glamorous...
have operated in London
United States
There has been known involvement of Balkan crime groups in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
One of the most notorious Serbs was Boško Radonjić, leader of the Irish-American organized crime group "the Westies", from 1988-1992. He reestablished the relations with the Gambino family under John Gotti
John Gotti
John Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
.
In popular culture
The Balkan Mafia has appeared in a number of films and video games. They have appeared in:- Beck – KartellenBeck – KartellenBeck – Kartellen is a 2002 Swedish police film about Martin Beck, directed by Kjell Sundvall.- Cast :*Peter Haber as Martin Beck*Mikael Persbrandt as Gunvald Larsson*Malin Birgerson as Alice Levander*Marie Göranzon as Margareta Oberg...
, Swedish crime thriller, about the case of a murdered restaurant owner
- In China They Eat DogsIn China They Eat DogsIn China They Eat Dogs , , is a Danish action comedy film directed by Lasse Spang Olsen.The main roles are played by Kim Bodnia and Dejan Čukić...
, Danish action-comedy, about a debt to Serb gangsters - Layer CakeLayer Cake (film)Layer Cake is a 2004 British crime thriller produced and directed by Matthew Vaughn, in his directorial debut. It is based on the novel Layer Cake by J. J...
, British action, - Leo, Swedish drama, about the revenge of his wife's murder
- Pusher trilogyPusher trilogyThe Pusher trilogy is a series of films by Danish film director Nicolas Winding Refn. They illustrate and explore the criminal underworld of Copenhagen. The trilogy is composed of Pusher , Pusher II and Pusher 3 ....
, Danish action, - Paradiset, Swedish drama thriller,
- Snabba CashSnabba Cash (film)Easy Money is a Swedish thriller film directed by Daniel Espinosa that was released on 15 January 2010. It is based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Jens Lapidus. Joel Kinnaman stars in the lead role of Johan "JW" Westlund, a rather poor man living a double life in the upper class areas of...
, Swedish action, about criminal activities in Stockholm, one of the protagonists is a Serb henchman - RaneThe WoundsThe Wounds is a 1998 Serbian drama film written and directed by Srđan Dragojević.It depicts the violent lives of two boys in Belgrade as they aspire to make names for themselves in the city's underworld...
(1998), Serbian Crime/Drama/Comedy - Vidimo se u cituljiVidimo se u cituljiSee You in the Obituary is a 1995 made-for-TV 35-minute documentary directed by Janko Baljak based on the book The Crime That Changed Serbia by Aleksandar Knežević and Vojislav Tufegdžić...
, Serbian documentary about several Belgrade mafiosi - "Straight Business 2", Canadian International Short Film
- "Straight Business 3", Canadian International Short Film
- The First Rule, by Robert Crais
- Bröderna Jaukka (2010), Swedish short film
Captifs (international title Caged) is a 2010 French horror film directed and co-written by Yann Gozlan. The film is about a woman named Carole who is traumatized after seeing her friend Laura being killed by a dog twenty years ago. Carole works as an aid worker in former Yugoslavia and begins to leave for Kosovo with two co-workers when she is kidnapped by a gang of masked men who deal with human organ trafficking.
See also
- Crime in SerbiaCrime in Serbia-Priority areas of law enforcement:Serbian law enforcement authorities have prioritised fighting drug trafficking, terrorism and organized crime during the late 2000s....
- Bosnian mafiaBosnian mafiaThe Bosnian Mafia is a term used to describe illegal gangs and criminal organisations operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina and within the Bosnian diaspora. Bosnian organised crime figures operate mostly in Europe, as well as in Canada, the United States and Australia...
- Montenegrin MafiaMontenegrin MafiaThe Montenegrin Mafia or Montenegrin Cartel are terms used for the various criminal organizations based in Montenegro or composed of Montenegrins. There are 700 documented organized criminals operating within Montenegro; outside of the country Montenegrin gangs are active throughout Europe-notably...
- Macedonian mafiaMacedonian MafiaThe Macedonian Mafia is a term used to describe illegal gangs and criminal organisations operating in the Republic of Macedonia and within the Macedonian diaspora.-Background:...
- Bulgarian mafiaBulgarian mafiaThe Bulgarian mafia is an informal term to describe any number of organized crime groups originating from Bulgaria.-Organised crime groups and activities:...
- Albanian mafiaAlbanian mafiaThe Albanian Mafia or Albanian organized crime are the general terms used for criminal organizations based in Albania or composed of ethnic Albanians. Albanian organized crime is active in Albania, the United States, and the European Union countries, participating in a diverse range of criminal...
Further reading
- Glenny, M. (2008). McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld Lopusina, Marko (2003). Srpska Mafija (Serbian Mafia)
External links
- Darko Saric on line database
- Joca Freed from jail
- La Mafia Serba
- Serbian mafia face crack down
- Analysis: Gangsters' paradise lost by Tim JudahTim JudahTim Judah is a front line reporter for The Economist and author. A graduate of the London School of Economics and of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University he worked for the BBC before becoming the Balkans correspondent for The Times and The Economist. During the Kosovo war he...
, BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...