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The Macedonian mafia (Macedonian: Македонска мафија, romanized: Makedonska mafija) is a body of illegal gangs and criminal organizations operating in North Macedonia and within the Macedonian diaspora.
| Founding location | North Macedonia |
|---|---|
| Territory | North Macedonia, Balkans, Italy, Germany, Australia |
| Ethnicity | Macedonians |
| Criminal activities | Arms trafficking, Assault, Extortion, Fraud, Human trafficking, Illegal gambling, Kidnapping, Money laundering, Murder, Racketeering, Theft |
| Allies | Serbian mafia Bulgarian mafia Albanian mafia Bosnian mafia Russian mafia 'Ndrangheta Camorra Turkish mafia Romanian mafia Triads[1] |
The organizations are primarily involved in smuggling, arms trafficking, drug trafficking, heists, protection rackets, and illegal gambling. The mafia comprises several major organized groups, which in turn have wider networks in Macedonia and throughout Europe.
History
editFrom 2007–2010, police from Austria, Germany, and Macedonia conducted a series of raids against a Macedonia-based crime organization known as the "Frankfurt mafia". The largest of these raids was conducted 21–22 December 2010, and resulted in the arrests of approximately 100 people. During the entire three-year operation, approximately 400 people were arrested, of which 29 were arrested in Macedonia.[2][3]
In 2019, the Italian police dismantled a scheme created by the Macedonian mafia that falsified documents and "encouraged" Macedonians to go and work for them in Italy. The group was based in the city of Alba in the Northern Italian region of Piedmont.[4]
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, the stolen goods were found in Arachinovo. The estimated value of the goods was 6 million euros, or as much as 10 million if sold in the form of cannabis oil.[5]
Today, high-activity cities for organized crime in North Macedonia include Skopje, Veles, Shtip, and Kočani. The border crossings of Bogorodica (on the Macedonia–Greece border), Jažince (on the Macedonia–Kosovo border), and the tri-border area between North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Serbia see high activity as well. The main goods subject to illegal trading are food, gold, jewelry, cigarettes, and drugs. Concerning drugs specifically, the most actively traded are Albanian cannabis via the Preshevo Valley, heroin that comes from Turkey to Bulgaria, and cocaine from Serbia. There is also speculation that synthetic drugs are manufactured in Tetovo, following the discovery there of an illegal laboratory resulting in the confiscation of 300 kilograms of amphetamine pills. The Tetovo region, as well as the villages of Vaksince and Lojane, are known to be centers for migrant trafficking. [6]
Groups
editIn popular culture
editMacedonian criminal organizations have appeared in films, TV series, novels and video games. They have appeared in:
In film
- One night in Velesta (2004), documentary film about sex trade and illegal prostitution in Velesta.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Македонските криминалци се во секојдневна врска со земунскиот клан". Утрински Весник. 2006-10-16. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-08-15.
- ^ "Drug bust". dw.com. December 24, 2010.
- ^ "Huge 'Macedonian-led' heroin ring broken up in Europe". BBC News. 2010-12-23. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ "Македонска мафија во Италија: Македонци држеле сонародници како робови". skopjeinfo.mk (in Macedonian). Retrieved 2024-02-26.
- ^ "The two tons of marijuana that were stolen in Josifovo on Thursday, were found tonight in Aracinovo - Free Press". Sloboden Pečat. 7 December 2020.
- ^ "Жариштата на организираниот криминал во Македонија" [Hotspots of organized crime in Macedonia]. Deutsche Welle.
- ^ "One night in Velesta". NBC News. 3 February 2004.