Macedonian mafia
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The Macedonian mafia ( mk, Македонска мафија, translit=Makedonska mafija) is the body of illegal gangs and
criminal organisations Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...
operating in
North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...
and within the Macedonian diaspora. The organizations are primarily involved in
smuggling Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations. There are various ...
, arms trafficking, heists,
drug trafficking A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via insuffla ...
, protection rackets, and illegal gambling. The mafia is composed of several major organized groups, which in turn have wider networks in country and throughout Europe.


History

Criminal activities began in Macedonia when it was occupied by the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. Informal groups of bandits with names like “ Ajduci - Ајдуци” (Macedonian bandit groups) and “
Bashibozuk A bashi-bazouk ( ota, باشی بوزوق , , , roughly "leaderless" or "disorderly") was an irregular soldier of the Ottoman army, raised in times of war. The army chiefly recruited Albanians and Circassians as bashi-bazouks, but recruits ...
- Başıbozuk” (Turkish bandit groups) engaged in war activities, robberies and kidnappings, and sometimes fought each other. The groups were named for their leader, but an Albanian bandit group also was active in Macedonia named “Arnauti - Aranuts” from Turkish dialect. In the period from 1918 to 1942, Macedonian opium was one of the highest quality in the world, because of suitable soil and river alluvium. From the statistics of public documents of that time, the producers of opium between the two world wars satisfied 43% of the demand of the global legal processing industry, and later Yugoslav-Turkish cooperation covered 80% of the world countries needed, on an annual basis. This amounted to an average of 42 tons of opium, which was worth around 29 million dinars, which corresponded to the average budget revenues of the whole called “
Vardarska Banovina The Vardar Banovina, or Vardar Banate ( mk, Вардарска бановина, Vardarska banovina; sr, Вардарска бановина, translit=Vardarska Banovina; al, Banovina e Vardarit, italics=no), was a province (banate) of the King ...
”. That's why today Macedonia from that period is called “Balkan Colombia” considering the fact that eight tons of opium were smuggled in the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Kraljevina Jugoslavija, Краљевина Југославија; sl, Kraljevina Jugoslavija) was a state in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 unt ...
every year, it can be concluded that almost a quarter of the legal production was actually released into illegal trade market, if there are added other drugs and their illegal channels: heroin, morphine and codeine. In the
USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
, were was connection of the
Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
and Skopje criminal organizations with the leading European drug transport networks across the Atlantic, then the increasing interest of the American diplomacy in the situation in Yugoslavia from the end of 1937 became understandable, where the opium trade was controlled by
Italian-American Mafia The American Mafia, commonly referred to in North America as the Italian American Mafia, the Mafia, or the Mob, is a highly organized Italian American criminal society and organized crime group. The organization is often referred to by its mem ...
, during the war these drug channels for smuggling opium into the US were cut off. In the meantime, control and primacy, was taken by other countries that were competitive in this business, the assumptions lead to the facts in that period, then were engaged and main characters of the Macedonian Revolutionary Organization VMRO that is also interesting fact. In the socialistic period, when Macedonia was part of
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
, where active some typical illegal activities for that period: illegal gambling, usury, theft and robberies. When Yugoslavia in 1991 was integrated, for some people destroyed, because was in sanctions, some criminal guys from other European countries were deported, and started to make criminal activities: illegal trading cigarettes, who were active in that illegal business and Balkan politicians, and soon arrived and drug and weapon trade, because of
Serbian Serbian may refer to: * someone or something related to Serbia, a country in Southeastern Europe * someone or something related to the Serbs, a South Slavic people * Serbian language * Serbian names See also

* * * Old Serbian (disambiguat ...
-
Croatian War The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between Croat forces loyal to the Government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY)—and the Serb-controlled Yugos ...
,
Bosnian War The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...
. In drug trade some criminal groups were in business with: cocaine, marijuana and heroin. Some of leaders of criminal organizations, were also connected with police and politicians, and they made some criminal activities like: robbery, kidnapping businessmen, racketeering and protection racket businessmen and other rich and famous people, money laundering, usury, gunfights and assassinations. After the War in Macedonia in 2001, many criminals were killed who were infiltrated in weapons trade, drug trade and war activities. In 2006 Macedonian police in action "Jug" seized the David Beckham's SUV in Debar, the luxury BMW X5 was stolen in the Spanish capital where Beckham played for
Real Madrid Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (, meaning ''Royal Madrid Football Club''), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid. Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally wor ...
. It was among five vehicles seized at the Macedonia-Albania border in a raid on a human-smuggling gang. On 7 January 2007, a shipment of 486 kg of cocaine who is traveling from
Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
to Greece was caught at the
Blace Blace ( sr-cyr, Блаце, ) is a town and municipality located in the Toplica District of the southern Serbia. According to 2011 census, the population of the town is 5,253, while population of the municipality is 11,754. History In the Ex ...
border crossing, in a truck that was transporting polycolor cans The value of the seized drug shipment was 92 million euros. The accused, arrested and convicted in that case was Stanislava Chochorovska Poletan and the truck driver
Macedonia Jails Cocaine Smugglers
In 2010 for planing the kidnapping of
José Mourinho José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix GOIH (; born 26 January 1963), is a Portuguese professional football manager and former player who is the current head coach of Italian Serie A club Roma. Once dubbed "The Special One" by the British ...
were suspected Macedonian citizens. Criminals had taken photos and videos of the football boss movements around his villa beside Italy's
Lake Como Lake Como ( it, Lago di Como , ; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Lagh de Còmm , ''Cómm'' or ''Cùmm'' ), also known as Lario (; after the la, Larius Lacus), is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of , making it the thir ...
, They had also been watching and filming him as he drove in his car and on the training ground at
Inter Milan Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Football in Italy, Italian professional Association football, football ...
. Police believe they caught the gang, who have Mafia links, as they prepared to kidnap Mourinho, or raid the home in which he lives with wife Matilde and their two children. A gang of four Macedonians is suspected of carrying out two recent robberies of businessmen, stealing property worth more than £350,000. They are also believed to have been watching four
Atalanta Atalanta (; grc-gre, Ἀταλάντη, Atalantē) meaning "equal in weight", is a heroine in Greek mythology. There are two versions of the huntress Atalanta: one from Arcadia, whose parents were Iasus and Clymene and who is primarily known ...
footballers as well as other Italian celebrities. Their plot was uncovered when police raided the gypsy camp where they lived. After the arrest of leaders of the Frankfurt mafia in 2010, the largest Macedonian criminal organization who was created in Veles, and infiltrated in
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and Austria with heroin trade, was destroyed the connection of criminal organization in North Macedonia. The 2011-2012 Italian football match fixing scandal emerged on 1 June 2011 after a number of football related figures were arrested or placed under official scrutiny by Italian police for alleged match fixing. The list included well-known figures from football world, the group was accused of having fixed a wide range of
Serie B The Serie B (), currently named Serie Balkrishna Industries, BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 ...
,
Lega Pro Prima Divisione Lega Pro Prima Divisione was the third highest football league in Italy. It consisted of 33 teams, divided geographically into two divisions of 16 and 17 teams for group A and B respectively. Until 2008 it was known as Serie C1. Before the 1978 ...
and
Lega Pro Seconda Divisione Lega Pro Seconda Divisione was the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status. Usually it consisted of 36 teams, but in the 2011–12 season, there were 41 teams divided geographically into two divisions of 2 ...
games. A key factor in this scandal was Macedonian citizens from Skopje. Rade Trajkovski Shtekli was arrested in 2011 in
Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
and extradited to
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, and Hristijan Ilievski nicknamed "King of fixing matches" was arrested in 2015 in
Bergamo Bergamo (; lmo, Bèrghem ; from the proto- Germanic elements *''berg +*heim'', the "mountain home") is a city in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately northeast of Milan, and about from Switzerland, the alpine lakes Como ...
. On 6 December 2020, two tons of marijuana packed in 200 boxes were stolen from a licensed cannabis oil production plant in Josifovo. On 7 December 2020 it was found in Arachinovo. The contraband has an estimated value of six million euro, or as much as 10 million if sold in the form of cannabis oil. On 6 April 2021, in police action "Dvojnik" also called "Mafija" were arrested six Macedonian civil servants in Skopje for prosecution about the world scandal when the Interior Ministry was giving passports, to high-profile criminals from across the world. In the period between 2017 and 2021 over 200 high-profile drug lords, hitmen and money launderers were given passports by the Interior Ministry. Some of them were Jovan Vukotic, Igor Dedovic, Stevan Stamatovic, Radoje Zvicer, Ratko Zivkovic,
Sedat Peker Reis Sedat Peker (; born 26 June 1971) is a Turkish mafia boss and whistle-blower who has made various allegations about Turkish politicians and numerous government engagements in illegal activities through his own YouTube channel. He has describe ...
, Florian Musaj, Gerti Marku, Admir Murataj and Karine de Oliveira Campos. In recent years, the Macedonian underground in Skopje is controlling the criminals group of Grchec, Dukjandzikj and Gjorce Petrov and their rivals from Chento, Arachinovo and Kondovo, because of the illegal markets of drugs. In
Strumica Strumica ( mk, Струмица, ) is the largest city2002 census results
in English and Macedon ...
and
Bitola Bitola (; mk, Битола ) is a city in the southwestern part of North Macedonia. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba, Nidže, and Kajmakčalan mountain ranges, north of the Medžitlija-Níki ...
, is a famous channel of international production of marijuana and illegal trade, All of these groups who are controlling the drug and weapons trade regions in country, are connected with region and European channels in the drug trade, who they pass the drug transportion from territory of Macedonia.


Groups


Skopje neighbourhoods

* Gjorce Petrov gangs, drug trafficking, racketeering, usury. * Avtokomanda gangs, drug trafficking, racketeering, usury. * Aerodrom gangs, drug trafficking, racketeering, usury. *
Chair A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. They may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in vario ...
gangs, drug trafficking, racketeering, usury. * Chento gangs, drug trafficking, racketeering, usury, contract killing. *
Gazi Baba Gazi Baba ( mk, , sq, Gazi Babë) is one of the ten municipalities that make up the City of Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. The municipality administration consists of a council and mayor. "Skopje encompasses ten municipalities (Aerodr ...
gangs, drug trafficking, racketeering, usury. * Drachevo gangs, drug trafficking, racketeering, usury. * Arachinovo gangs, drug trafficking, smuggling, racketeering, usury. * Kondovo group, drug trafficking, racketeering, usury, contract killing. * Grčec group, drug trafficking, racketeering, usury, motor vehicle theft, contract killing. * Dukjandzik group, drug trafficking, racketeering, usury, contract killing. * Batinci group, drug trafficking, racketeering, usury, contract killing. * Krushopek group, drug trafficking, smuggling, racketeering, usury, contract killing.


Other

* Brothers Budisavljevic's group. * Akica Totic's group. * Stanislava Chochorovska Poletan's network. * Daniel Johansson Petrovski's gang. * Veleshta network. * Frankfurt mafia. * Naserligan.


Key people


Activity outside Macedonia

The criminal activities of the Macedonian criminal groups are present on several continents. Albania Australia Austria In Austria the group named "Frankfurt Mafia" was active during the 90's and 00's, persons of this criminal group were dealing with drugs (heroine) in more than 18 of 24 municipalities in Vienna. Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Brasil In Brasil Slobodan Kostovski "Kole" was arrested in 2018 and sentenced to 19 years in prison, for drug smuggling (cocaine) to european criminal groups, he escapes from prison the same year. Croatia Czech Republic Denmark France In France Petrit Ame "Don Pietro" was involved in drug trafficking (cocaine), robberies, kidnapping, assault, shooting and managing with security in all casinos in Paris during 80's and 90's. Greece Germany In Germany the most professional and largest criminal group from Macedonia based in Veles named as "Frankfurt Mafia" was involved in drug trafficking (heroin), they was active in Frankfurt, in Macedonian media this criminal group was populated with police action “Dirigent” that was operated in Veles. This police action was operated in three methods from Macedonian, German and Austrian police department, which lasted 4 years to break down this criminal group, because this group had more than 150 persons. The first police action was in 2009, police arrested group of five persons, and 2 of them were the bosses of the criminal group arrested in that action. In 2010 in Macedonia were arrested more than 30 persons, and 70 persons were arrested in Austria and Germany. In 2013 were arrested more than 50 people in Macedonia, Germany and Austria because of regrutation of drug dealers in that countries, and dealing with heroine in streets of Frankfurt and Vienna. The bosses of this criminal group were Zoran Manaskov “Skrsheniot” and Jordan Jordanov “Rkulot” from Veles. The function and organization of this criminal group started in 80s, and in that time they were active in thefts and bank robberies. In 90s they joined in ilegal business of heroine, Jordan Jordanov regruted more than 500 people from Veles to Frankfurt and Vienna to work for this criminal group. The end of life of Jordan Jordanov was in 2010, when he was killed in restaurant named “Big Fish” in Skopje, from Toni Denkovski “Beli”, who was also big mafia guy in 90s, the second boss of this criminal group Zoran Manaskov was arrested in police action in 2010, and was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Italy Kosovo Malta Montenegro Netherlands In Netherlands Slobodan Kostovski "Kole" was arrested in Amsterdam in 1979 for bank robberies in Sweden, and the many years later he was involved in drug trafficking (cocaine) in the same city. Norway Serbia In Serbia Slobodan Kostovski "Kole" was accused in case, when the police general major Boshko Buha was killed in 2002 at front of the Hotel Jugoslavija in Belgrade. Spain Slovenia Slovak Republic Sweden In Sweden Slobodan Kostovski "Kole" was involved in bank robberies, in 1979 in Stockholm and Geteborg with Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan and Giovani Di Stefano aka (Carlo Fabiani). Switzerland United Kingdom United States


In popular culture

Macedonian criminal organizations have appeared in films, TV series, novels and video games. They have appeared in: In film *Happy New Year '49 (1986) *Tattoo (1991) *Bal-Can-Can (2005) *Amerikanecot (2006) *Bunilo (2009) *Ova ne e amerikanski film (2011) *Zbor (2015) In television *Trst via Skopje (1987 - 1990) *Zavedeni (2002) *Vratice se rode (2007, 2008) *Besa (2018) In literature *Kriv Pravec (1995), book by Dimko Tasevski Ditas about the sex trafficking and prostitution in 90's in Macedonia. *Od Osaka do Dizhonska, book by Borche Trajkovski about the criminal scene in 90's in Skopje. *Gol Chovek (2005), book by Igor Dzambazov about the addictions in his personal life, with part in the book targeted to problems with owing money to moneylenders and debt collectors and how macedonian famous criminals from 90's, helps him to resolve that problems. In media This text is from reportaion of the Global Initiative Against Organized Crime in Macedonia and the region, published in 2019. "In the territories of Macedonia are two borders: Bogorodica to Greece, and Jazhince of Tetovo to Kosovo. The documentation for border of Bogorodica marks it as “Tranzit point of drug trading” for heroine who is coming in region, like canabis who is going from Albania to Greece and Turkey. The border of Jazhince is “Hotspot of drug trading with other variants”. In this border is ilegal rotation that criminal organizations are using for drug trading with trucks, tractors and horses. In documentation is also the interview of the police officer from 2018. In Macedonia, the focus and their criminal activies of criminal organizations are in: Skopje, Veles, Shtip and Kochani. The documentation of the Global Inititave Againt Organized Crime, is replied that criminal groups who controll Skopje with ilegal tradings are controlled by ethnic Albanians. The forums of organized crime is: drug trading, vehnicle thefts, illegal trading migrants and other legal businesses who enable tradings and option for money laundering. The 3 criminal groups from: Saraj, Dukandzik and Arachinovo have the protection from political parties. Veles, is the city that has the most dealers in the region of Balkan.In that city, is the trading of heroin for canabis between criminal groups of Bulgaria, Albania and Greece. The interestic fact, is that the confiscation of drug is so small in this country. This fact is considering that police is not concentrated to destroy with ilegal activies of some criminal groups that are dominanting in this area. In Veles, was created the group named “Frankfurt Mafia” that was the biggest trader of heroine in Germany and Austria. The ilegal money of this criminal organization is “laundering” their money in night clubs, restaurants, hotels and casinos. Shtip, is the coridor of poli-criminal activies and has the direct connection with Veles, and this part is controlled by ethnic Macedonians. Ilegal activites in this city are: recetering, trading cigarettes, drug trading etc. Kochani is also city that is part of criminal activites, and there are active activites with ilegal trading od cigarettes and canabis. The criminal groups of Kochani has the connection with criminal groups from Bulgaria. Leaders of criminal groups of Kochani, are connected with business for security agencies, and they took “tax” to markets in city that the price was between 30 to 50 euros in a month. The guys who declined to pay taxes, they had problems with criminal groups: by burning their vehnicles and demolishing their markets. This criminal activity was destroyed when macedonian police made action “Detonator” in 2012. Regional connections Macedonia is with Kosovo and Serbia. Kumanovo and Tetovo are one of the biggest cities of Macedonia. The triagolic connection between Macedonia - Kosovo - Serbia is popular for ilegal trading with oil, and this started in Serbia and Montenegro in early 90's. Today, ilegal tradings is performed with stock, food, jewelry, cigarettes and drugs. The drug trading, the biggest part is taking albanian canabis, which goes to Preshevo’s valley in north and south, heroine that comes from Turkey to Bulgaria, and cocaine from Serbia. That are speculations that in part of Tetovo is based and creation of sintetic drugs, then in 2017 was found the ilegal labaratory and confiscated 300 kilograms of amphetamine pills.


See also

* Frankfurt mafia


References

{{Organized crime groups in Europe Mafia Kumanovo Macedonian diaspora Transnational organized crime Organized crime by ethnic or national origin Organised crime groups in Australia Macedonian-Australian culture Organised crime groups in Austria Organised crime groups in Germany Organised crime groups in North Macedonia