Macedonian Mafia

The Macedonian Mafia is a term used to describe illegal gangs and criminal organisations operating in the Republic of Macedonia and within the ethnic Macedonian diaspora.

Background

Macedonian organized crime figures operate mostly in Europe and North America (countries such as Germany, Italy and Bulgaria are primarily favored by Macedonian organized crime figures), as well as Canada, the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand. Macedonian organized crime groups co-operate with other Balkan organized crime groups including Serbian, Bulgarian (eastern part of Macedonia) and Albanian(western part of Macedonia) groups, both in the Balkans and in other places around the world, as well as the Italian mafia and the Russian mafia (through Bulgaria). Macedonian organized crime is usually centered around all types of legitimate businesses alongside typical organized crime activities such as smuggling, import and export, drug trafficking, extortion, arms trade, fraud, auto theft, racketeering, gambling, human trafficking, murder, contract killing, bodyguarding, prostitution and money laundering. Macedonian organized crime is also involved in security companies like the Bulgarian mafia, as well as with them, especially operating out of cities in eastern Macedonia, such as Štip. They are thought to have ties with the Zemun Clan and the Albanian Mafia when concerning the trade of tobacco. Macedonian organized crime in Australia and Toronto, Canada is predominant among youth. [cite web
url=http://www.uts.edu.au/new/releases/2002/September/pdfs/f_section5.pdf
title=Section 5: Crime and Gangs in Sydney—The Ethnic Dimension
publisher=University of Technology, Sydney]

Key people

Austria

*Metodija Smilenski: Metodija is a wealthy Austrian citizen [cite web|url=http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/printer.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=27085&NrIssue=58&NrSection=10|title=Metodija Smilenski arrested|date=2006-06-20|publisher="MakFax"] who is currently in prison for his involvement in organised crime in Austria and the Republic of Macedonia.

Macedonia

*Goran Georgievski (aka Mujo) (1969–2005): Former member of the Lions special police force. Georgievski, along with several ethnic Albanian criminals operating in the Republic of Macedonia, are listed on a black list issued by the European Union. [citeweb
url=http://www.sinf.gov.mk/english/arhiva/prikaz.asp?kategorija_id=1&sodrzina_id=1356
title=Brussels Announces Black List of Extremists in Macedonia
date=2004-04-11]

*Nikola Mojsovski (aka Koljo): 2001 Macedonia conflict combatant who was involved in racketeering in Prilep.

erbia

*Dragan Daravelski: Ran illegal operations in Belgrade and a counterfeiting ring in Kumanovo.cite web
url=http://www.nacional.hr/articles/view/18069/18/
title=Nacional Reveals the Macedonian Arm of the Balkan Tobacco Mafia: Kosta Jankovski, boss of the Macedonian smugglers, is also a Croatian citizen
date=2002-06-05
publisher="Nacional"
author=Berislav Jelinić]

*Kosta Jankovski: Head of the Macedonian arm of the Serbia & Montenegrin mafia.

References