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Inside the Serbian Mafia: Europe's Most Ruthless Criminal Empire | Full Documentary
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Apr 7, 2025
Journey into the dangerous world of the Serbian Mafia, from its rise during the Yugoslav Wars to its modern-day global operations. This gripping documentary explores the infamous figures like Arkan, the Zemun Clan, and their brutal reign across Europe. Witness how paramilitary groups transformed into sophisticated criminal enterprises, the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić, and the ongoing battle against organized crime. From Belgrade's shadowy streets to international drug routes, discover how this criminal network became one of Europe's most feared organizations. Inside the Serbian Mafia: Europe's Most Ruthless Criminal Empire | Full Documentary
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0:00
it is just past midnight in a dimly lit alleyway in Belgrade Serbia the
0:05
flickering neon sign of a nearby cafe casts elongated shadows on the damp
0:11
pavement a solitary figure in a leather jacket steps out of the darkness
0:16
cigarette smoke curling beneath the brim of a baseball cap he glances around
0:22
making sure he isn't being followed in the hush of this late hour the faint hum
0:28
of distant traffic and the rhythmic drip of water from a loosened gutter create the only soundtrack this is a city that
0:35
has known centuries of upheaval from the Ottoman Empire and the Austrohungarian reign to the turbulent collapse of
0:41
Yugoslavia it's a place marked by seismic political shifts wars and transitions of power each leaving behind
0:49
fractures in the social fabric fractures that organize crime has exploited inside the Serbian mafia the
0:57
most ruthless crime Lords of Europe begins here in the shadow lace streets
1:03
that have witnessed countless clandestine transactions and violent confrontations over the decades this
1:10
documentary aims to delve into the rise reign and enduring impact of the Serbian
1:17
mafia a network whose tendrils stretch far beyond the Balkans and into the
1:22
heart of Europe's criminal underworld in the next several scenes we will uncover
1:28
the organization's origins its role in key historical events and the notorious
1:33
figures who shaped it and were often ultimately destroyed by it the seeds of
1:39
chaos 1980s to early 1990s our story starts in the 1980s when
1:47
socialist Yugoslavia still existed under President Yosip Brostito's federated
1:52
structure although Tito passed away in 1980 his death set in motion a slow
1:58
unraveling of the republic's fragile unity for most citizens daily life continued as usual but beneath that
2:06
surface tensions simmered ethnic fault lines economic instability and political
2:12
maneuvering by regional strongmen chipped away at the country's foundations enter the black markets as
2:21
Yugoslavia's economy found itself increasingly strained shortages of basic
2:26
goods drove some citizens to look for alternative ways to make a living
2:33
cigarette smuggling currency exchange and illegal trade in luxury items like
2:39
western denim or electronics became common channels for budding criminals
2:45
these activities might have remained relatively small scale if not for the wars that would devastate the Balkans in
2:52
the early 1990s with the outbreak of the Croatian War of Independence
2:58
1991 and the subsequent conflicts in Bosnia 1992 to
3:04
1995 Yugoslavia collapsed into violence that defined the region for much of the
3:10
decade while mainstream society suffered armed groups and opportunistic criminals
3:17
leveraged chaos to expand their operations weapons flowed in from all
3:22
corners as did narcotics weakening central authority rampant corruption and vast numbers of
3:30
dispossessed refugees meant that some criminal outfits found themselves with a
3:35
larger pool of desperate recruits it was during this era that a young Zelko
3:42
Raznatovich better known by his nomdean rose to prominence born in 1952
3:49
in what was then the People's Republic of Montenegro Archan had already earned
3:54
a reputation for daring bank robberies across Western Europe in the
4:00
1970s after stints in various European prisons he returned to Yugoslavia where
4:07
his connections to powerful individuals helped shield him from the consequences
4:12
of past crimes charismatic and cunning Arkan established the notorious
4:18
paramilitary group known as the Tigers which operated largely during the
4:23
Croatian and Bosnian wars under the guise of nationalist fervor Arkan's Tigers carried out brutal
4:32
campaigns paramilitary activity quickly intersected with organized crime
4:37
fighters brought back contraband arms and money blurring the line between
4:43
patriotic militias and pure criminal enterprises arkan became a larger than-l
4:48
life figure at home celebrated by some nationalists reviled by others feared by
4:55
all by the early 1990s his operation and politicized crime in ways few had ever
5:02
witnessed in Yugoslavia with the breakdown of the state apparatus many
5:07
paramilitary leaders functioned as de facto warlords controlling territories
5:13
and doing out justice in the form of intimidation and violence these
5:19
conditions laid the groundwork for what later became the Serbian mafia the Balkan Wars and criminal opportunity
5:27
1992 to 1995 as the conflict escalated in Bosnia in 1992 the lines between
5:34
paramilitary formations and the mafia blurred further arkan's Tigers among
5:40
other units took advantage of the poorest borders and chaotic landscapes to smuggle weapons fuel and drugs for a
5:49
time the political and military elites found informal alliances with paramilitary leaders expedient for the
5:57
paramilitaries support from influential politicians meant immunity from
6:02
prosecution and an open corridor for illegal commerce during this period one
6:09
of the most significant developments influencing organized crime in Serbia was the rise of protection rackets local
6:17
businesses already struggling under hyperinflation and war induced market
6:23
disruptions were forced to pay for protection from newly minted mafia groups this protection typically meant
6:31
not being robbed or sabotaged by that same group in Belgrade's bustling
6:37
streets coffee shops restaurants and nightclubs often had no choice but to
6:43
pay the influence of these emerging mafias extended to football clubs which
6:49
in some instances were used to launder money and recruit young men susceptible
6:54
to the blend of thrill camaraderie and ethnic sentiment that accompanied soccer
7:00
rivalries out of these murky waters also emerged lesserknown actors who would one
7:06
day become kingpins men such as Shret and Yoshic known as
7:11
Yuka Amsterdam began their rise by running small teams of enforcers and
7:17
smugglers born in 1962 in Serbia Yukicher dabbled in petty crime from his
7:23
teenage years by the 1990s he used the wartime smuggling channels to establish
7:30
lucrative narcotics roots others like Dusan Spasovich and Mle Lukovich
7:36
nicknamed Kum forged alliances that would later form the backbone of the Zamoon clan one of the most feared
7:44
criminal organizations in Serbia in the late 1990s and early 2000s by the time
7:51
the Dayton Agreement ended the war in Bosnia in late 1995 these criminal networks had become
7:58
deeply entrenched they had money firepower connections to corrupt
8:04
politicians and had learned how to operate effectively in a climate of
8:09
instability while overt paramilitary operations diminished criminals were
8:14
loathed to relinquish their newfound wealth and influence so they adapted
8:21
some stepped away from public paramilitary roles and forged even stronger ties within the underworld
8:28
it is just past midnight in a dimly lit alleyway in Bgrade Serbia the flickering
8:34
neon sign of a nearby cafe casts elongated shadows on the damp pavement a
8:41
solitary figure in a leather jacket steps out of the darkness cigarette smoke curling beneath the brim of a
8:48
baseball cap he glances around making sure he isn't being followed in the hush
8:55
of this late hour the faint hum of distant traffic and the rhythmic drip of water from a loosened gutter create the
9:02
only soundtrack this is a city that has known centuries of upheaval from the Ottoman
9:09
Empire and the Austrohungarian reign to the turbulent collapse of
9:14
Yugoslavia it's a place marked by seismic political shifts wars and
9:20
transitions of power each leaving behind fractures in the social fabric fractures
9:26
that organized crime has exploited inside the Serbian mafia the most
9:32
ruthless crime lords of Europe begins here in the shadow lace streets that
9:38
have witnessed countless clandestine transactions and violent confrontations over the decades this documentary aims
9:46
to delve into the rise reign and enduring impact of the Serbian mafia a
9:53
network whose tendrils stretch far beyond the Balkans and into the heart of Europe's criminal underworld in the next
10:00
several scenes we will uncover the organization's origins its role in key
10:06
historical events and the notorious figures who shaped it and were often
10:11
ultimately destroyed by it the seeds of chaos 1980s to early
10:18
1990s our story starts in the 1980s when socialist Yugoslavia still existed under
10:25
President Yseph Bros Tito's Federated structure although Tito passed away in
10:30
1980 his death set in motion a slow unraveling of the Republic's fragile
10:36
unity for most citizens daily life continued as usual but beneath that
10:42
surface tensions simmered ethnic fault lines economic instability and political
10:49
maneuvering by regional strongmen chipped away at the country's
10:54
foundations enter the black markets as Yugoslavia's economy found itself
11:00
increasingly strained shortages of basic goods drove some citizens to look for
11:07
alternative ways to make a living cigarette smuggling currency exchange
11:13
and illegal trade in luxury items like western denim or electronics became
11:19
common channels for budding criminals these activities might have remained
11:24
relatively small scale if not for the wars that would devastate the Balkans in the early 1990s with the outbreak of the
11:32
Croatian War of Independence 1991 and the subsequent conflicts in Bosnia 1992
11:39
to 1995 Yugoslavia collapsed into violence that defined the region for much of the
11:46
decade while mainstream society suffered armed groups and opportunistic criminals
11:52
leveraged chaos to expand their operations weapons flowed in from all corners as
12:00
did narcotics weakening central authority rampant corruption and vast
12:06
numbers of dispossessed refugees meant that some criminal outfits found themselves with a larger pool of
12:13
desperate recruits it was during this era that a young Zelkarasnatvich better known by his
12:20
nomdeera Akan rose to prominence born in 1952 in what was then the People's
12:27
Republic of Montenegro Akan had already earned a reputation for daring bank
12:33
robberies across Western Europe in the 1970s after stints in various European
12:39
prisons he returned to Yugoslavia where his connections to powerful individuals
12:46
helped shield him from the consequences of past crimes charismatic and cunning
12:52
Arkan established the notorious paramilitary group known as the Tigers which operated largely during the
12:58
Croatian and Bosnian wars under the guise of nationalist fervor Arkan's
13:05
Tigers carried out brutal campaigns paramilitary activity quickly intersected with organized crime
13:12
fighters brought back contraband arms and money blurring the line between
13:17
patriotic militias and pure criminal enterprises arkan became a larger than-l
13:23
life figure at home celebrated by some nationalists reviled by others feared by
13:30
all by the early 1990s his operation politicized crime in ways few had ever
13:37
witnessed in Yugoslavia with the breakdown of the state apparatus many
13:43
paramilitary leaders functioned as de facto warlords controlling territories
13:48
and doing out justice in the form of intimidation and violence these
13:55
conditions laid the groundwork for what later became the Serbian mafia the
14:00
Balkan Wars and criminal opportunity 1992 to 1995 as the conflict escalated in Bosnia
14:08
in 1992 the lines between paramilitary formations and the mafia blurred further
14:15
akan's Tigers among other units took advantage of the poorest borders and chaotic landscapes to smuggle weapons
14:23
fuel and drugs for a time the political and military elites found informal
14:29
alliances with paramilitary leaders expedient for the paramilitaries support
14:35
from influential politicians meant immunity from prosecution and an open
14:40
corridor for illegal commerce during this period one of the most significant
14:46
developments influencing organized crime in Serbia was the rise of protection
14:52
rackets local businesses already struggling under hyperinflation and
14:57
war-induced market disruptions were forced to pay for protection from newly
15:02
minted mafia groups this protection typically meant not being robbed or
15:08
sabotaged by that same group in Belgrade's bustling streets coffee shops
15:14
restaurants and nightclubs often had no choice but to pay the influence of these
15:20
emerging mafias extended to football clubs which in some instances were used
15:25
to launder money and recruit young men susceptible to the blend of thrill
15:31
camaraderie and ethnic sentiment that accompanied soccer rivalries out of
15:37
these murky waters also emerged lesserknown actors who would one day
15:42
become kingpins men such as Shretton Yokic known as Yoka
15:48
Amsterdam began their rise by running small teams of enforcers and smugglers
15:54
born in 1962 in Serbia Yoshic had dabbled in petty crime from his teenage
16:00
years by the 1990s he used the wartime smuggling channels to establish
16:06
lucrative narcotics routes others like Dusan Spasoyovich and Milele Lucich
16:12
nicknamed Kum forged alliances that would later form the backbone of the
16:17
Zamoon clan one of the most feared criminal organizations in Serbia in the
16:22
late 1990s and early 2000s by the time the Dayton Agreement
16:27
ended the war in Bosnia in late 1995 these criminal networks had become
16:33
deeply entrenched they had money firepower connections to corrupt
16:39
politicians and had learned how to operate effectively in a climate of
16:44
instability while overt paramilitary operations diminished criminals were
16:49
loathed to relinquish their newfound wealth and influence so they adapted
16:56
some stepped away from public paramilitary roles and forged even stronger ties within the underworld
17:03
postwar consolidation criminal networks evolve 1996 to
17:10
1999 in the latter half of the 1990s Serbia was under the thumb of
17:16
President Slodan Milosovvich international sanctions introduced as a response to Serbia's
17:22
involvement in the wars crippled the formal economy the local currency
17:27
experienced catastrophic hyperinflation the middle class rapidly disintegrated
17:33
and discontent simmered across the country in the midst of economic despair the black market bloomed smuggling was
17:40
rampant oil cigarettes and other essentials that citizens could no longer buy through legitimate channels during
17:47
this time Milosovich's government had a complicated relationship with the criminal world in certain cases
17:53
high-ranking officials tacitly cooperated with mafia groups to bypass sanctions bringing in desperately needed
18:01
commodities while personally profiting corruption soared and so did the
18:07
boldness of organized crime figures many of whom had cultivated direct lines to
18:12
influential politicians arkan despite being indicted by the International
18:18
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in 1997 continued to operate he even opened
18:25
up the Ailic Football Club and navigated the high society circles of Bgrade but
18:32
in January 2000 everything changed standing in the lobby of the upscale
18:37
Intercontinental Hotel in Bgrade Arkan was assassinated by a gunman named Door
18:44
Sav Gavick though Arkan died that night at age 47 the precise motives behind his
18:50
killing remain debated some say it was revenge for war crimes others suspect a
18:57
mafia dispute over money or territory the immediate aftermath of our Khan's
19:03
death signaled that even the mightiest gangster demagogue was not untouchable as the 1990s drew to a close
19:11
the next conflict the Kosovo War 1998 1999 brought further
19:18
instability opening up more channels for the flow of weapons and contraband for
19:24
Serbian organized crime groups however a new era was on the horizon the downfall
19:29
of Melosvich in October 2000 would usher in dramatic political changes paving the
19:36
way for an intense power struggle among criminal factions the birth of the
19:41
Zamoon clan and the Dindic assassination 2000 to
19:47
2003 with Mallosvich's ouster on October 5th 2000 Serbia embarked on a precarious
19:54
road to democracy under the newly formed Democratic opposition of Serbia DOS
20:00
coalition leading this coalition was Prime Minister Zoran Dindic a reform-minded politician eager to
20:07
integrate Serbia into the European mainstream yet while the political setting had changed the criminal
20:14
networks remained in some cases more powerful than ever among the various
20:20
organizations vying for control the Zamoon clan stood out based in the
20:26
Bgrade municipality of Zamoon it was led by Dan Spasovich and Mile Lucvich both
20:33
men had started as relatively small players in the 1990s but had used the
20:38
chaos of war to forge alliances accumulate wealth and eliminate rivals
20:44
their clan specialized in narcotics trafficking kidnapping for ransom and contract killings they had a reputation
20:52
for brutality often torturing enemies in makeshift bunkers before disposing of
20:58
bodies in the Danube or Sava rivers between 2001 and
21:04
2003 the Zamoon clan's power was bolstered by alleged connections to
21:09
certain elements within the police and state security forces vestigages of the
21:15
old regime that had not entirely been reformed it is widely believed that
21:20
Spasovich and Luke financed corrupt officials ensuring that clan members
21:25
avoided prosecution or received tip offs raids meanwhile Prime Minister Dindic's
21:33
attempts to crack down on mafia groups and extradite war criminals to the Hague Tribunal made him many enemies the
21:41
showdown came in March 2003 on the 12th of that month Zoran
21:47
Dindic was fatally shot by a sniper outside the Serbian government building
21:52
in Belgrade the fallout was immediate and massive the government declared a state
21:59
of emergency under the code name Operation Sablia Saber thousands of
22:06
suspects were detained and the authorities zeroed in on the Zamoon clan as the prime culprit behind the
22:13
assassination within days clan leader and his lieutenant Lucich were cornered
22:19
by police in a village outside Belgrade both men died in what was officially
22:25
described as a shootout though conspiracy theories abound dindix's
22:30
assassination was a watershed moment in modern Serbian history on one hand it
22:37
crystallized the lethal intersection of politics and organized crime on the
22:43
other it forced the new government to act decisively the crackdown that
22:48
followed severely weakened the Zamoon clan nonetheless as future events would
22:54
show it did not eradicate the roots of the Serbian mafia into the 21st century
23:01
shifting tides and global reach 2004 to 2010 despite Operation Sablia many
23:09
mid-level bosses and enforcers from the Zamoon clan escaped or only served short
23:15
sentences some of them fled to neighboring countries or western Europe where they continued their criminal
23:22
activities additionally other groups like the Sarak clan rumored to be led by
23:27
Darko Sarak rose to fill the vacuum the 2000s saw the Serbian mafia adopt new
23:35
strategies no longer enthralled solely by local rackets these groups expanded
23:40
into international narcotics trafficking south American cocaine roots became
23:46
particularly lucrative cartels in Colombia and Brazil found new partners
23:52
in Balkan gangs capable of moving drugs through Europe's poorest southeastern
23:58
borders ports in Montenegro Croatia and Albania became key transit points at the
24:05
same time consumer markets in Western Europe Germany Spain and Italy among
24:10
them provided a steady demand money laundering became ever more
24:16
sophisticated illicit funds flowed into real estate in Belgrade and resort towns
24:22
along the Montenegron coast some criminals even established seemingly legitimate business empires restaurants
24:30
hotels transport companies while quietly funneling proceeds from drug sales
24:36
increasingly the mafia leadership adopted a subtler profile avoiding the
24:42
gaudy public persona of figures like Arkan in doing so they managed to blend
24:49
into the social fabric sometimes even garnering a degree of local support by
24:54
providing jobs or acting as benefactors to community projects
24:59
one individual who exemplified this trend was Shretton Yoka Amsterdam Yokic
25:06
having built an empire in the 1990s through drug smuggling and rakateeering
25:11
he periodically moved between Serbia and the Netherlands his nickname came from
25:16
his alleged activities in Amsterdam where he controlled parts of the drug trade by the mid 2000s Yoshic was
25:24
rumored to be worth millions funneling his illicit gains into real estate and
25:29
hospitality businesses in Serbia repeated arrests did little to destabilize his broad network reflecting
25:37
the challenges law enforcement faced for authorities the greatest obstacle lay in
25:44
corruption and the legacy of weak institution left behind by the wars and
25:49
sanctions although Serbia moved toward European Union membership many segments of
25:56
society including the judiciary and police remained underfunded and
26:01
vulnerable to bribery informants who dared cooperate with prosecutors often
26:06
lived in fear while key witnesses in organized crime cases sometimes
26:12
disappeared or met violent ends at Europe's crossroads the
26:17
internationalization of the Serbian Mafia 2011 to
26:22
2015 by the early 2010s the label Serbian Mafia no longer referred to a
26:29
single monolithic organization instead it encompassed an array of loosely interconnected clans and
26:36
networks operating across Europe bound by shared language heritage and a
26:42
reputation for severe violence serbia's geographical position nestled between central and southeastern
26:49
Europe made it a natural transit route for contraband from narcotics and firearms to human trafficking victims
26:55
seeking passage to Western Europe in places like Vienna Berlin and even Stockholm law enforcement noted an
27:01
uptick in the presence of Bulan gangs robberies targeting jewelry stores ATM
27:06
bombings and sophisticated burglaries of high-end apartments were tied to these
27:12
criminal rings which had honed their craft in the tumultuous 1990s
27:17
murders of rival drug dealers on the streets of Madrid and Barcelona occasionally traced back to Serbian
27:25
hierlings recognized for their willingness to carry out hits for the right price during this period a
27:32
high-profile case erupted when Darko Sarich was accused by Serbian and
27:38
international authorities of smuggling multiple tons of cocaine from South
27:43
America to Europe a sweeping investigation conducted in cooperation
27:49
with several European countries and the US Drug Enforcement Administration culminated in Sarak's
27:56
arrest and extradition to Serbia in 2014 it was hailed as a massive victory
28:03
against organized crime though insiders were quick to point out that new bosses
28:09
tended to emerge whenever an old one was taken off the board despite these
28:14
crackdowns the allure of quick money continued to draw young men into the
28:20
criminal fold rising unemployment and disillusionment with politicians fed
28:27
into the belief that the system was rigged for some in deprived areas of
28:32
Bgrade or regional towns joining a local gang felt like the sole chance at upward
28:39
mobility the wars were memories now but their ghosts lingered old networks old
28:45
grudges and old alliances that tracked across the years flashback a
28:51
conversation in a Bgrade nightclub it's 2:00 a.m on a Friday in
28:56
2012 thumping turbo folk music fills a neon lit nightclub near the banks of the
29:03
Sava River among the throngs of fashionable young people dancing and sipping cocktails a quietly imposing
29:10
figure sits in a VIP booth a gold chain glints at his neck the top buttons of
29:17
his black shirt are undone two burly bodyguards keep watch a journalist
29:24
operating covertly sidles up feigning drunken curiosity when the man in the
29:30
booth realizes he's being asked questions he smirks "how long have you worked for certain people?" the
29:37
journalist asks the bodyguard stiffens but the man next to him lifts a hand and
29:44
shrugs "long enough," he says in a low voice "and you don't worry about the
29:50
police?" A dry laugh escapes his lips "what police you don't see any cops here
29:57
do you?" He glances around takes a drag from a cigarette and exhales a cloud of
30:03
smoke the people who matter are already paid off and if they're not someone else
30:10
will handle them the bodyguard steps forward effectively ending the
30:15
conversation the journalist lingers just long enough to catch the final snippet
30:22
"we're not going anywhere," the man says firmly "and that's a fact such scenes
30:28
half hidden beneath strobe lights and the frantic pulse of music reflect the
30:33
ingrained sense of impunity that certain mafia affiliates continued to enjoy well
30:39
after the 2000s corruption and the long arm of the law 2015 to 2018 by the mid
30:48
2010s repeated efforts to strengthen the rule of law in Serbia driven partly by
30:53
the EU accession process started to yield incremental improvements
30:58
specialized task forces were formed and more robust cooperation with Interpol
31:03
and Europole helped trace suspects across borders a few well publicized
31:09
raids netted mid-level traffickers illegal weapons caches and even high
31:15
value targets yet progress was neither linear nor guaranteed stories of collusion between
31:22
police chiefs and crime lords occasionally surfaced though not all led
31:28
to concrete prosecutions corruption had woven itself into the very fabric of public
31:34
institutions requiring more than a handful of arrests or the dismantling of
31:39
a single network to eradicate in 2017 a massive police operation cenamed Grom
31:48
Thunder targeted dozens of individuals in Belgrade Novvisad and other major
31:55
Serbian cities the media covered images of heavily armed special forces
32:00
breaching apartment complexes and suburban houses seized were drugs
32:06
counterfeit currency and advanced encryption devices a government spokesperson claimed that these actions
32:13
dealt a serious blow to organized crime but critics pointed out that the most
32:19
elusive figures had either escaped abroad or maintained plausible deniability through shell companies and
32:26
legal fronts during that same year the trial of Shretton Yoshi for
32:31
masterminding the murder of Croatian journalist Evo Pukanik killed by a car
32:37
bomb in Zagreb in 2008 produced dramatic
32:42
headlines although Yoshic had been arrested in Serbia and charged with multiple offenses the path to conviction
32:49
was winding witnesses recanted or vanished raising suspicions of witness
32:56
tampering in the end Yoshik's conviction for the Puchanic case did not stick
33:02
highlighting the complexities of prosecuting crossber crimes where those accused still had deep pockets for
33:08
bribery and intimidation recent shifts and present-day resonance 2019 till
33:15
present the 2020s introduced new dynamics to the Serbian mafia
33:21
technological advances in communication encrypted messaging apps virtual private
33:26
networks cryptocurrencies made it easier for criminals to cover their
33:32
tracks meanwhile many leaders realized that lowp profofile business-like
33:38
operations drew less attention from the press and law enforcement than flamboyant violence did still
33:45
occasionally the old style of bloody confrontation reemerged a spate of
33:51
gang-related assassinations hit Bgrade in 2019 prompting discussions about a
33:58
mafia war investigations revealed it was largely a feud over control of the
34:04
cocaine supply lines from South America to Western Europe younger gang members
34:11
or foot soldiers vied for recognition and territory in an environment
34:17
reminiscent of the 1990s though more covert at the same time Serbia's
34:23
aspirations to join the European Union have spurred ongoing reforms meaning
34:29
that certain government bodies and law enforcement agencies are now more transparent and more willing to
34:35
collaborate with international partners high-profile busts continue for instance
34:42
in 2021 an international task force led to dozens of arrests across multiple
34:49
countries targeting a sophisticated network believed to be orchestrated by
34:54
Balkan crime figures seizures included large quantities of cocaine and heroin
35:01
as well as illegal firearms although these victories are celebrated experts
35:07
caution that as long as economic disparities and corruption persist the
35:12
conditions that foster organized crime will remain moreover the legacy of the
35:18
wars in the 1990s coupled with the socioeconomic strains of transition
35:23
remains an open wound the sense of disillusionment and cynicism that took
35:30
root during those tumultuous times still resonates helping the mafia recruit
35:35
unwitting participants and sustain their networks many citizens who came of age
35:41
in the 1990s continued to mistrust institutions seeing them as inherently
35:47
flawed or compromised the characters who shaped a legacy any attempt to document
35:54
the Serbian mafia must give prominent attention to the individuals whose
36:00
choices alliances and betrayals molded its contours zelko Aran Raznitovich 1952
36:08
to 2000 a paramilitary leader indicted war criminal and gangster whose public
36:14
persona verged on celebrity status he symbolized the confluence of patriotism
36:20
opportunism and brutality assassinated in 2000 aran's legacy as a larger than-l life criminal demagogue continues to
36:27
fascinate Serbians dusan Spoyich 1968 to 2003 and Mayukovich Kum 1969 to 2003 the
36:34
twin pillars of the Zimmune clan brutal calculating and merciless in their enforcement methods their involvement in
36:41
the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Dindic triggered the state's biggest crackdown on organized crime
36:47
since the wars both were killed under disputed circumstances during operation
36:52
Sablia shretton Yuka Amsterdam Yoshic born
36:58
1962 notorious for his crossber drug trafficking and rumored involvement in
37:03
numerous contract killings known for eluding convictions through intimidation
37:10
legal maneuvering and alleged collusion with officials his nickname underscores
37:16
the international dimension of Serbian organized crime darko Sarak born
37:22
1970 accused of running a global cocaine empire trafficking drugs from Latin
37:29
America to Europe his arrest and extradition were heralded as historic
37:34
achievements by Serbian law enforcement even if many believe other hidden partners remain active these figures
37:42
along with numerous enforcers lieutenants and mid-level bosses forged
37:48
the network's identity fueling a maze of alliances and
37:53
vendettas their personal stories mirror the macrolevel trajectory of Serbia
37:59
itself a land torn by war transitioning between political systems and contending
38:05
with the lure of illicit power law enforcement's struggle and societal
38:12
rifts fighting the Serbian mafia has never been a straightforward matter of
38:17
police versus gangster the lines have blurred time and again due to corruption
38:24
nepotism and the erosive influence of decades of conflict one of the steepest
38:31
challenges for honest officials is the environment of fear that pervades local
38:36
communities families of potential witnesses are intimidated businesses are
38:42
strongarmed those who do brave the system often encounter an underresourced
38:48
judiciary further stifled by the occasional rogue judge or prosecutor
38:55
internationally partnerships with Europole Interpol and various Western police agencies have yielded significant
39:03
arrests still the dismantling of entire networks is painfully slow often reliant
39:09
on turning ranked insiders into informants a precarious proposition
39:15
given these informants own criminal liabilities and the frequent violent retribution inflicted on defectors
39:23
during the 2000s and 2010s many Serbs held a conflicted view of the mafia on
39:30
one hand the brutality drug abuse and assassinations fed a sense of insecurity
39:36
and horror on the other a segment of the population admired certain gangsters who
39:42
displayed patriotic rhetoric reminiscent of Arcan's paramilitary swagger or who
39:48
invested in local neighborhoods some gangsters enjoyed local hero status with
39:54
grateful neighbors excusing their crimes by emphasizing the jobs they provided or
40:00
the governmental failings they claimed to address in rural areas isolated from
40:06
Belgrade's bustle the Serbian mafia's reach manifested differently smuggling
40:13
routes through mountains and border crossings with Bosnia Croatia and Montenegro became lifelines for families
40:20
who found themselves neglected by official infrastructure here criminals were
40:25
sometimes the informal authority dispensing loans settling disputes and rewarding loyalty with favors that the
40:33
state was either unable or unwilling to provide cracks in the underworld and
40:40
rivalries while our focus often falls on the biggest personalities the truth is
40:45
that the Serbian mafia much like its Italian or Russian counterparts is not
40:50
monolithic rivalry lines shift with dizzying speed the post203 vacuum
40:57
unleashed tussles for territory between breakaway factions of the Zamoon clan
41:03
new groups in southern Serbia and older more established Bgrade crews
41:09
high-profile assassinations continued well into the 2010s and early
41:16
20120s journalists sometimes referred to these as settling accounts while
41:21
official statements typically describe the deaths as the result of criminal feuds these feuds underscore two truths
41:30
first that each wave of arrests or assassinations merely culls one generation of leaders leaving space for
41:37
the next second that greed and power remain the universal languages of the
41:43
underworld amid these rivalries alliances of convenience often formed if
41:49
there was a major joint venture on the horizon particularly largecale drug
41:54
shipments a clan specializing in Balkan to Western Europe transport might
42:00
briefly collaborate with an enemy clan that had superior shipping connections
42:06
in the port of Bar Montenegro similarly a rivalry would be
42:11
put on hold if a common foe such as a newly outspoken police chief threatened
42:16
everyone's profitability a slow but ongoing reckoning as we approach the
42:23
present day it's important to highlight that the Serbian mafia despite ongoing
42:28
crackdowns remains a potent force yet there are noteworthy successes in
42:34
curtailing its reach higher level coordination between Serbian authorities
42:40
and international bodies has led to more court cases that stick particularly when
42:45
suspects are arrested abroad and extradited europewide intelligence
42:51
sharing including the infiltration of encrypted phone networks has foiled multiple largecale shipments and
42:58
contract killings public sentiment has also evolved younger generations many of
43:05
whom were children during the 1990s unrest are more skeptical of gangster
43:11
glorification social media's influence means news of mafia related violence spreads swiftly
43:19
often met with outrage civil society organizations along with investigative
43:24
journalists who put their lives at risk shine a spotlight on corruption emboldening prosecutors to act
43:32
high-profile corruption scandals once buried are increasingly brought to trial
43:38
nevertheless as any crime historian will attest mafias rarely vanish entirely
43:44
they morph and adapt waiting for cracks in the system or new crises to exploit
43:51
the resilience of the Serbian mafia can be partially attributed to the deep scars left by Yugoslavia's collapse and
43:59
the widespread cynicism toward official that took hold over three decades
44:06
reflections on the present day and lasting impact when news breaks of a
44:11
drug bust in Barcelona or a daring heist in Zurich investigative journalists
44:19
frequently trace threads back to Balkan syndicates the phrase Serbian mafia
44:25
doesn't merely denote nationality it references a transnational business model shaped by war upheaval and
44:33
opportunism today these groups continue to influence local politics real estate speculation
44:40
and youth subcultures all while forging alliances or rivalries with other
44:46
European gangs from Italian Kamora clans to Albanian drug rings in Serbia itself
44:53
the government's reforms spurred in part by pressure from the European Union aim to consolidate the rule of law yet the
45:01
process is complex entangled in the broader question of Balkan geopolitics
45:07
and Serbia's historical ties to Russia and other powers the political elite
45:13
stance on corruption remains under scrutiny critics argue that occasional
45:19
high-profile arrests do not alter the fundamental vulnerabilities in the system civil society also wrestles with
45:27
the cultural memory of the 1990s when paramilitary leaders became folk heroes
45:33
for a segment of the population addressing that legacy involves more than passing legislation it requires an
45:41
honest reckoning with how war criminals and mafioso figures manipulated
45:47
nationalistic narratives re-evaluating these narratives is painful but it
45:53
proves vital for preventing future generations from emulating such figures
45:58
concluding scene a perspective for the future in a small Bgrade cafe an aging
46:06
journalist the same one who once tried to speak with a gangster in a neon lit nightclub sips Turkish coffee he's
46:14
flipping through old notes transcripts of police wiretaps interviews with
46:19
witnesses scrolled timelines linking paramilitary leaders to mafia bosses
46:26
lines crisscross the pages forming a tangled web of names dates and places at
46:33
times it felt hopeless the journalist confesses one gang leader would go down
46:39
five more would spring up but I still believe in telling these stories
46:44
shedding light on them is the only way to stop them his words resonate as the
46:50
final montage of our documentary unfolds archival footage of Arkan
46:56
rallying his tigers scenes of Belgrade under heavy sanctions in the 1990s the
47:03
funeral procession of Zorandic in 2003 heavily armed police units in recent
47:09
raids footage of city skyscrapers lit by the warm glow of a rising sun despite
47:16
the gloom of the subject matter there is a cautious sense of optimism in Serbia today more citizens demand
47:24
accountability more police officers choose integrity and more journalists
47:30
refuse to be silenced the younger generation is increasingly vocal on
47:35
social media condemning mafia violence and political corruption
47:40
each incremental change hints that no criminal enterprise is truly invincible
47:47
yet the past is not easily exercised and the Serbian mafia still exists evolving
47:53
and maneuvering in the dark corners of global commerce if this documentary
47:58
imparts one lesson it is that the roots of organized crime are entwined with the
48:04
political economic and social dislocations of history the epicenter
48:10
might be Belgrade but the tremors are felt from London to Rome from Amsterdam
48:15
to Buenosarees through war sanctions political turmoil and economic despair
48:23
the Serbian mafia forged a path to becoming one of Europe's most formidable
48:28
underworld forces epilogue and present-day relevance before our credits
48:34
roll a final reflection many of the same vulnerabilities that
48:39
allowed the Serbian mafia to thrive fragile institutions public cynicism
48:45
economic hardship remain challenges not only in Serbia but across multiple
48:50
regions worldwide law enforcement agencies while more united in their efforts than ever
48:57
before face a resourceful and adaptable enemy organized crimes power lies not
49:04
merely in guns and violence but in corruption's corrosive reach for viewers
49:10
the lesson is twofold first understanding the story of the Serbian
49:15
mafia requires understanding Serbia's modern history its wars its shifting
49:21
regimes and its uneasy transitions from authoritarianism to democracy second
49:28
while the mafia's shadow still looms over the Balkans the collective will to confront it has gained momentum in the
49:36
21st century international cooperation has never been higher and every year
49:42
sees new breakthroughs in infiltration surveillance and crossber
49:47
extradition by exposing the eradeefining events the key figures the root causes
49:54
and the relentless interference of corruption this documentary hopes to paint a full picture of a criminal
50:02
ecosystem shaped by decades of upheaval in the end the mafia's trajectory stands
50:09
testament to the adage that wherever official institutions fail to provide
50:14
security and justice underworld structures will emerge to fill the void
50:20
and yet the story is far from over in Serbia and across Europe the next decade
50:27
will bring new twists will reform-minded politicians succeed or be subverted by
50:32
bribery and intimidation will technology strengthen the hand of criminals or
50:38
grant law enforcement unprecedented new tools for infiltration we leave the final image of
50:45
the Bgrade skyline at dawn the Sava and Danube rivers converging under the
50:51
gentle haze centuries old fortresses overlooking a city that has been burned
50:57
rebuilt and re-imagined countless times a city poised at the nexus of east and
51:03
west of memory and possibility beneath its streets the Serbian mafia continues
51:10
quietly shifting operations forging alliances and playing its part in the
51:16
grand narrative of global organized crime yet above ground change is
51:22
stirring driven by those determined to free Serbia's future from the shackles
51:28
of its dark Past
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