Balkan
Organized Crime
The term “Balkan Organized Crime” applies to organized
crime groups originating from or operating in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Croatia, Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia
and Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania.
Balkan organized crime is an emerging threat in the U.S. While several
groups are active in various cities across the country, they do not
yet demonstrate the established criminal sophistication of traditional
Eurasian or La Cosa Nostra (LCN) organizations. However, they have
proven themselves capable of adapting to expanding criminal markets
and becoming involved in new activities, much like the historical
growth of other organized crime groups.
History of Balkan Organized Crime
Organized crime in the Balkans has its roots in the traditional clan
structures. In these largely rural countries, people organized
into clans with large familial ties for protection and mutual assistance.
Starting in the 15th century, clan relationships operated under
the kanun, or code, which values loyalty and besa, or secrecy.
Each clan established itself in specific territories and controlled
all activities in that territory. Protection of activities and
interests often led to violence between the clans. The elements
inherent in the structure of the clans provided the perfect backbone
for what is considered modern-day Balkan organized crime.
Many years of communist rule led to black market activities in the
Balkans, but the impact of these activities was limited to the region.
When communism collapsed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it led
to the expansion of Balkan organized crime activities. Criminal markets
once closed to Balkan groups suddenly opened, and this led to the
creation of an international network. Within the Balkans, organized
crime groups infiltrated the new democratic institutions, further
expanding their profit opportunities.
Balkan criminal organizations have been active in the U.S. since
the mid-1980s. At first, these organizations were involved in low-level
crimes, including bank robberies, ATM burglaries, and home invasions.
Later, ethnic Albanians affiliated themselves with the established
LCN families in New York, acting as low-level participants. As their
communities and presence have become more established, they have
expanded to lead and control their own organizations.
There is no single Balkan “Mafia,” structured hierarchically
like the traditional LCN. Rather, Balkan organized crime groups in
this country translated their clan-like structure to the United States.
They are not clearly defined or organized and are instead grouped
around a central leader or leaders. Organized crime figures maintain
ties back to the Balkan region and have established close-knit communities
in many cities across the nation.
Albanian organized crime activities in the U.S. include gambling,
money laundering, drug trafficking, human smuggling, extortion, violent
witness intimidation, robbery, attempted murder, and murder. Balkan
organized crime groups have recently expanded into more sophisticated
crimes including real estate fraud.
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