Organized crime in Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Bosnian mafia
FoundedEarly 1990s
Founding locationBosnia and Herzegovina
TerritoryWestern Europe, Former Yugoslavia, South America, North America
EthnicityBosniaks and Bosnian Serbs , Bosnian Croats
Criminal activitiesDrug trafficking, Cigarette smuggling, Assassination, Bank fraud, Blackmailing, Bribery, Contract killing, Infiltration of Politics, Money laundering, Murder, Police corruption, Political corruption, Witness intimidation, Witness tampering, Gambling, Human trafficking, extortion.

The Bosnian mafia (or Bosnian organized crime) is the body of illegal gangs and criminal organisations operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina and within the Bosnian diaspora. Bosnian organised crime figures operate mostly in Europe. Bosnian organised-crime groups are involved in a wide range of activities and extortion (often under the cover of ostensible security and insurance companies). Smuggling revenues are between €600 million and €900 million.[1]

Organised-crime groups and activities[edit]

The Bosnian mafia can be broadly divided into three categories – the Bosniak mafia, the Bosnian Serb mafia and many local organised-crime groups.[citation needed] The Bosnian mafia groups are involved in a wide range of activities; one of their more notorious activities occurred in 2003 when they smuggled and sold 250,000 Zastava M70 Yugoslav-made AK-47s to Iraq.[citation needed]

The federalist government of Bosnia and Herzegovina makes fighting organised-crime groups extremely difficult. Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of two largely independent entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska – both of which have their own capital, parliament, president and police force. Due to the poor cooperation between law-enforcement agencies in the two regions, criminals can often evade prosecution simply by moving from one to the other. Mafia groups from neighbouring countries (particularly Serbia and Croatia) often base their operations in Sarajevo, due to its proximity to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

However, there have been some efforts to increase collaboration between the two regions. In 2006 the European Union established the State Investigation and Protection Agency. SIPA is a Bosnian federal police agency with authority in both regions, and is under the direct administration of the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH MIS).

Following the death of the historical leaders of the Sarajevo's underworld, a new generation of young criminals began to emerge.[2] Among them the most notable are:

  • Mirza Hatić: Born in 1987, he is in police records 20 times since 2002 for attempted murder, endangering security, extortion and illegal possession of weapons.[2][3] Considered one of the most prominent figures in Sarajevo's underworld. Hatić was released from prison in 2021.[4]
  • Almer Inajetović: arrested 17 times for robbery, violent behavior, endangering security, extortion and illegal possession of weapons. However, he is best known for his racketeering caterers.[5][2]
  • Admir Lekić: accused of attempted murder, violent behavior, endangering security and illegal possession of weapons.[2] Lekić was sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempted murder.[6]
  • Muamer Kulosman and Adi Karić: notorious racketeers in Sarajevo.[2][7]
  • Benjamin Delalić: Born in 1993, and son of the historical late boss Ramiz Delalić, he has been in police records since he was a minor. Most of the times, Delalić was allegedly involved in shooting between rival gangs.[2][8]

In recent years, due to its drug trafficking activities, Bosnian criminal groups expanded its operations to South America. Numerous Bosnian nationals were arrested in South American countries related to cocaine trafficking to Europe, such as David Cufaj and Smail Šikalo.[9][10]

Tito and Dino Cartel[edit]

The Tito and Dino Cartel, led by Edin Gačanin, is said to be one of the major players in the drug trafficking in Europe, controlling one third of the cocaine that enters the port of Rotterdam. It has also a strong presence in Peru, which according to a Peruvian official, the cartel is the main buyer of drugs in the country. The DEA considers the cartel's network to be one of the 50 largest drug trafficking operations on the planet. According to the investigations, the cartel is composed of family members and friends from Edin Gačanin's old neighborhood in Sarajevo. The cartel is currently based in Dubai.[11][12]

Gačanin was arrested in Dubai in November 2022 being one of 49 people arrested in a concerted effort by Europol against the Tito and Dino cartel, however Gačanin was released on bail in January despite the Netherlands having filed extradition papers, his location is now unknown.[13] In 2023 Edin Gačanin was sanctioned by the US who cited "close ties" to the Irish Kinahan Organised Crime Group and a €350m cocaine plot.[14]

Key people[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Griffiths, Hugh (21 February 2005). "Investigation: Will Europe Take on Bosnia's Mafia?". Institute for War & Peace Reporting.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Source.ba:Nova generacija kriminalaca: Momci koji žele nametnuti svoje zakone u Sarajevu". Source.ba. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Ovo je Sarajlija Mirza Hatić koji je htio srušiti krst na Zlatištu: 'Poginut ću, ali krsta neće biti!'". depo.ba. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Pogledajte kako izgleda Mirza Hatić nakon izlaska iz zatvora". Avaz.ba (in Bosnian). 4 June 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Inajetoviću vraćene 42.000 maraka". Avaz.ba (in Bosnian). 31 October 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Admiru Lekiću 10 godina zatvora zbog pokušaja ubistva". novi.ba. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Reketaši koji su natjerali Samira da iskopa sebi grob dobili 35 mjeseci zatvora ⋆ Balkan Plus". Balkan Plus. 20 September 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Zbog pucnjave u Sarajevu policiji se predao Benjamin Delalić". Avaz.ba (in Bosnian). 9 April 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  9. ^ "GRUPA TITO I DINO: Iz sarajevskog sokaka do Kolumbije". zurnal.info. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Sarajlija David Cufaj, koji je uhapšen zbog dilanja kokaina, u vezi s bivšom peruanskom misicom". Avaz.ba (in Bosnian). 8 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Cocaine – The Criminal Steroid – InSight Crime Investigation". InSight Crime. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  12. ^ Redakcija (7 March 2021). "U glavnom gradu Perua: Ubijen policajac koji je istraživao kartel "Tito i Dino" – Istraga .ba". Istraga. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  13. ^ "US sanctions Bosnian super-cartel drugs boss over 'close links' to Kinahan gang". 16 March 2023.
  14. ^ "US sanctions Bosnian super-cartel drugs boss over 'close links' to Kinahan gang". 16 March 2023.
  15. ^ "EDIN GAčANIN DEMANTUJE, ŽURNAL DOKUMENTUJE: Kartelu Tito i Dino zaplijenjeno najmanje 14 tona kokaina". zurnal.info. 5 August 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
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