Macedonian mafia

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.

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.

As far back as the 1880s, Macedonian opium poppy had an international reputation for being of high quality, owing to the region's particular environmental conditions. From 1918–1941, the production of opium in present-day North Macedonia satisfied 43% of the demand from the global legal processing industry.^[2] Between 1927 and 1939, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (which encompassed present-day North Macedonia) produced an average of 42 tons of opium per year, worth around 29 million dinars, which corresponded to the average annual revenue of the province of Vardarska Banovina. Between eight and ten tons of opium were smuggled into Yugoslavia every year. Therefore, it is estimated that almost a quarter of the legally produced opium ended up in the illegal trafficking market. Criminal organizations in the cities of Belgrade and Skopje were also associated with prominent European smuggling networks that facilitated illegal exports of opium and its derivatives. In 1937, the United States and other countries in the League of Nations pressured the Yugoslav government to take action against the drug smuggling industry, and the problem diminished temporarily. ^[3]

In 2006, Macedonian police seized five vehicles at the Macedonia-Albania border in a raid on a human-smuggling gang. One of the vehicles was suspected, but not confirmed, to be David Beckham's luxury SUV, which had been stolen from him in Madrid, Spain where Beckham played for Real Madrid.^[4][5]

On 7 January 2007, a truck carrying a shipment of 486 kg of cocaine from Venezuela to Greece was stopped at the Blace border crossing. The value of the seized drug shipment was 92 million euros. The driver of the truck, Alija Azirović, and Macedonian businesswoman Stanislava Chochorovska Poletan were both arrested, tried, and sentenced to 14.5 years prison time.^[6][7]

From 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.^[8][9]

From 2008 to 2010 the biggest criminal war in macedonian underground In the macedonian underground was happened, maybe the one of the most dangerous criminal war between two criminal groups in Skopje. In that period, the most dangerous clan was the Bellanoca Clan known for usury’s, recketeering and drug trafficking with the leader Xhelal Ajeti known as “Xhelo”. It was known that the Bellanoca group had problem with Nikola Nikolovski known as “Koljo the American”. The conflict started in march 2008 when the member of Bellanoca group Boris Mutkov known as “Fantom”, attacked Nikola Nikolovski in the Le Grand casino of hotel Holiday In Hotel. The reasons of the physical attack was because Nikola Nikolovski insulted him while he was drunk. In that situation Nikolovski made a conflict situation with security guards and the other persons in the hotel, contacted Mutkov to come to help in that “conflict situation” because they was friends. After few days, in the center of Skopje, in one of the most known caffe bars Trend Bar were physically attacked and injured Boris Mutkov and his friend Sasho Gorgiev known as “Ovca”. It was known that Nikolovski with his nephews took revenge, but after few hours the Bellanoca group planted a bomb near his house and shot in the air as a threat. After few months in july 2008 in the caffe bar Insomnia happened a conflict between two leaders Ajeti and Nikolovski when Nikolovski was injured of gun shot by someone of Bellanoca members who accompanied Ajeti, after that fight Nikolovski hired a criminal group from Kosovo, and in later months during 2008 the car of Ajeti was fired, but also was planted a bomb in the car of Nikolovski’s friend Agim Sherifi, who was the former member of Bellanoca group. In january 2009 Dejan Panovski knows as Desho, member of Bellanoca group was heavy wounded by gun shots in front of his apartment from Boban Guroski, who was member of Nikolovski’s group. In july 2009 the member of Bellanoca group Sasho Gorgiev disappeared, it was a speculation that Nikolovski’s group took brutally revenge with serbian recipe, that the body of Gorgiev is encased in concrete. After two months in august 2009 Agim Sherifi was released from jail for the weekend to see his family, but his body was thrown in container in a village of Aracinovo near Skopje. According to police inspectors, in the body was confirmed that was shot from arm in the back of his body after torture. Towards the end of 2009 Nikolovski left Macedonia, and his last revenge was when in january 2010 was planted a bomb in yard of Ajeti’s house. During the 1990s Ajeti, Sherifi and Nikolovski were connected in criminal bussinesses by Flamur Ame.^[10]

In march 2011 Nikolovski was arrested from American authorities, because of multi-milion finance scam of the croatian bank in USA, and in may 2012 he was sentenced to 18 years in prison. ^[11]

In november 2013, Xhelal Ajeti was killed in his caffe bar Rolex because of family problems with Ibraim Ismaili known as “Abic”. In february 2014 the Bellanoca group took revenge when Abic was killed in his each place of living settlement Chento in Skopje.^[12]

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.^[13]

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.^[14]

On 6 April 2021, a scandal was revealed concerning the Interior Ministry having issued passports to high-profile criminals from around the world. Nine Macedonian civil servants were arrested in Skopje for involvement in the scandal. Between 2017 and 2021, the Interior Ministry issued passports with false names to at least 215 people.^[15][16]

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. ^[17]

• Frankfurt mafia
• Naserligan

The criminal activities of the Macedonian criminal groups are present on several continents.

Albania                      

In Albania Petrit Ame was open the casino in Durres, after the escape from his home country in 1997 because of 28 kg cocaine theft from the depots of the Interior Ministry. ^[20]

Australia

In Australia John Kizon the famous criminal figure was involved, in drug trafficking (heroin) and fixing boxing fights in Perth during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. ^[21]

In 2012 Ken Janakievski was found death at Wanda Beach in Sydney, he was the former big boss of Australias Balkan crime gang involved in drug trade (methylamphetamine) in 1980s and 1990s. ^[22]

In 2014 John Gashovski known as bussinessman was killed in Sydney, the investigation pointed to the fact that it was a criminal revenge between clans. ^[23]

In 2017 Dejan Dimitrovski “Vijali” was killed in his home in Perth, Australian police says it is showdown between criminal clans.^[24]

In 2019 Mitat Rasimi known as underworld figure was killed in Melbourne, Australian police says because of revenge between criminal clans.^[25]

In 2021 Mende Rajkoski was arrested in Sydney for involvation in the most legendary cocaine money laundering case in Australia, the second largest gambling joint transactions totalling more than $ 100 million in one week, and the largest ever interception of cocaine destined for Australia with value of AUS$ 900 million or US$ 700 million.^[26]

In 2022 Ilija Raftoski was arrested in Struga.

Austria

In Austria the group named "Frankfurt Mafia" was active during the 1990s and 2000s, persons of this criminal group were dealing with drugs (heroine) in more than 18 of 24 municipalities in Vienna. ^[27]

Belgium

In Belgium Basri Bajrami was the kidnapper of Former Belgian Prime Minister Paul Vanden Boeynants, in the famous case from 1989 in Brussels.^[28]

Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Bosnia and Herzegovina Asmer Hajradinovic “Akica Totic” was important person of Sarajevo’s underground during the 2000s.^[29]

Bulgaria

In Bulgaria Metush Bajrami "Meto" was involved, in drug trafficking (heroin) during the 1990s and 2000s in Sofia.^[30]

The famous gangster and controversial businessman from Skopje, Orce Korunovski "Pikadili" was killed in 2002 in Varna by hitman.^[31]

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. ^[32]

Croatia

In 2022 macedonian citizen was arrested in Zagreb with 119 kg of drug packs (cocaine).^[33]

Czech Republic

In Czech Republic Aslan Nuishi "Aslan Poda" was involved in drug trafficking (heroin) and motor vehicle theft, he was arrested in 2001 after warrant issued by Ministry of Internal Affairs of Germany and extradited to Wiesbaden when he was sentenced to few years in prison.^[34]

Denmark

France

In France Petrit Ame "Don Pietro" was involved in drug trafficking (cocaine), prostitution, robberies, kidnapping and control over the security in all casinos in Paris during 1980s and 1990s. ^[35]

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 1980s, and in that time they were active in thefts and bank robberies. In 1990s 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 1990s, the second boss of this criminal group Zoran Manaskov was arrested in police action in 2010, and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.^[36]

Italy

In Italy Flamur Ame was involved in drug trafficking (cocaine and heroin) and prostitution in 1970s, 1980s and 1990s in Rome.^[37]

Daut Kadriovski was involved in drug trafficking (heroin) in Italy, associating with Cosa Nostra during 1980s and 1990s.^[38]

In 2011 Rade Trajkovski “Shtekli” and Hristijan Ilievski “The king of fixing matches” was pursued by Italian police and acussed for fixing matches on wide range in Serie B, Lega Pro Prima Divisione and Lega Pro Seconda games, in famous 2011-2012 Italian football match fixing scandal emerged on 1 June 2011, later Rade Trajkovski was arrested in 2011 in Athens and extradited to Italy, and Hristijan Ilievski was arrested in 2015 in Bergamo.^[39]

Kosovo

Malta

In Malta Viktor Dragomanski was arrested in 2020 in spectacular police action when two persons are killed in Paceville.^[40]

Montenegro

Netherlands

Norway

In Norway Jusuf Hasani was extradited in Oslo from Skopje after his arrest in 2009 for involvation in famous bank roberry “Nokas” in 2004 in Stavanger when he was escaped with NOK 50 million or US$ 10 million of total NOK 57.4 million and he was sentenced to 9 years in prison, after investigation police said Jusuf was also a member of Naserligan criminal group. ^[41]

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.^[42]

In 2007 Stanislava Chochorovska Poletan was arrested in Belgrade and extradited to Macedonia, because of fallen 483 kg cocaine shipment in her home contry. ^[43]

In 2011 Asmer Hajradinovic “Akica Totic” was pursued by Serbian police in action “Mashina”, after fallen 169 kg cocaine shipment from his smuggling route from Bolivia. ^[44]

In 2021 Rade Trajkovski “Shtekli” was arrested in Belgrade, for involvation in case in his homecountry from 2017 when one person was killed and in 2022 he was extradited to Macedonia. ^[45]

Spain

In Spain Vojislav Budisavljevic and his brother Vladimir Budisasavjevic was arrested and sentenced to prison in 2019 after fallen shipment of 700 kg cocaine from Latin America. ^[46]

Slovenia

Slovak Republic

In Slovak Republic Nexhat Abeli "Samko" was involved in drug trafficking (cocaine), he was killed in 1994 by police in Bratislava.^[47]

Sweden

In Sweden Slobodan Kostovski "Kole" was involved in bank robberies, in 1979 in Stockholm and Gothenburg with Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan and Giovani Di Stefano aka (Carlo Fabiani). ^[48]

In Gothenburg during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s Naser Dzeljilji the leader and founder of the famous gang Naserligan, was involved in drug trafficking, robberies and assassinations.^[49]

In 2021 in Malmo Daniel Johansson Petrovski “Dani Jude” was arrested for drug smuggling (cannabis and cocaine), assassinations and leadership against most powerful gang in the city. ^[50]

Switzerland

In Switzerland in case when macedonian citizen was killed in 2018 in Ruti, Switzerland police sayed that was a blood feud crime for revenge of killed Dilaver Bojku “Leku” in 2017 in his home country.^[51]

Turkey

United Kingdom

United States

In United States Robert Struminkovski “Boshko” during the 1980s and 1990s was involved in drug trafficking (cocaine).^[52]

In 2012 Koljo Nikolovski “Amerikanecot” was sentenced to 18 years in prison in Eastlake – Ohio, for key role in one of the largest credit union collapses in American history. ^[53]

Macedonian criminal organizations have appeared in films, TV series, novels and video games. They have appeared in:

In film

• Happy New Year '49 (1986), film about criminal scene in Skopje in 1980’s.
• Tattoo (1991), film about prison life in Macedonia in 1990’s.
• One night in Velesta (2004), documentary film about sex trade and illegal prostitution in Velesta.^[54]
• Bal-Can-Can (2005), drama film who includes story about criminal connections in Balkans.
• Amerikanecot (2006), film about hitmans.^[55]
• Bunilo (2009)^[56]
• Ova ne e amerikanski film (2011), criminal drama film.^[57]
• Zbor (2015), criminal drama film based on quotes.^[58]
• Lazar (2015), drama film who includes story about people smuggling illegal bussiness with migrants across Macedonia.^[59]
• Amok (2016), film about the boy from orphanage who goes fast in Skopje’s underground with his group as a leader.^[60]

In television

• Trst via Skopje (1987 - 1990), crime drama series about illegal bussinesses of macedonian criminals during 1980’s.^[61]
• Zavedeni (2002), love drama series who includes story about police inspector and criminals in Skopje in 1990’s.^[62]
• Vratice se rode (2007, 2008)
• The Blacklist (Season 5, Episode 7 “The Kilgannon Corporation”) Aired Nov. 8, 2017.
• Besa (2018)^[63]
• Bistra voda (2023), crime drama series about men who made private investigation about ancient artifact of his family.^[64]

In literature

• Kriv Pravec (1995), book by Dimko Tasevski Ditas about the sex trafficking and prostitution in 1990's in Macedonia.^[65]
• Od Osaka do Dizhonska, book by Borche Trajkovski about the criminal scene in 1990's in Skopje.^[66]
• 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 1990's, helps him to resolve that problems.^[67]
• Djaro najveci reziser Titoizma (2021), book by Velibor Dzarovski “Dzaro” about his life and career, and in some parts in the book was his friendship stories with some of the biggest criminal bosses from Yugoslavia.^[68]

• Frankfurt mafia