“I am very curious about the Albanian mafia, because great Albanian mobsters have a big dream. They want to turn Kosovo into new Columbia in Europe,” Saviano said.

Saviano said that Kosovo Albanian mobsters want to differentiate their cocaine from Colombia’s by mutating its genes so it can grow in Kosovo where the climate is colder then in Colombia.

“They want to grow transgenic cocaine which is grown in temperatures that are different from those in Latin America,” Saviano said.

Saviano noted that the goal of the Kosovo Albanian mafia is to make the province the cocaine monopoly center.

“Grow transgenic cocaine in Kosovo and to enable the Albanian mafia to have monopoly over cocaine,” Saviano said.

However, Saviano says that Kosovo Albanians need 20 years to achieve this and, in the meanwhile, they are augmenting their sales operation by importing cocaine from Colombia.

“Today this cannot be done because the transgenic cocaine that exists in Kosovo today is very expensive. Therefore, it does not pay off. It is better to import it from Latin America than to grow it. But in 20 years, Kosovo will undoubtedly be the new Columbia,” Saviano said,” Saviano told the Tirana based Top Channel media outlet.

Colombia model for Kosovo Albanian mafia – December 17, 2008 – 11:55 am – SERBIANNA – This story was found at: http://www.serbianna.com/blogs/newspost/?p=1161

He told the Special Organized Crime Department of the Belgrade District Court that it is impossible that his brother, former deputy interior minister Radovan Stojčić, a.k.a. Badža, “who fought against crime, could have organized a criminal group”, the so-called Tobacco Mafia.

Sojčić said that the charges are a “product of hate against his brother and his business success”.

He added his brother, a high-ranking MUP commander during the Milošević regime, could not have smuggled and sold cigarettes illegally in 1997, because he was killed in April 1997.

“My brother Radovan was killed on April 11, 1997, the 11 year anniversary of his death is in five days, and this indictment stated that he organized a criminal group, but the prosecutors have yet to issue an indictment for the criminal group that killed him,” Stojčić told the judges.

He said that his brother probably “lost his head, because he was trying to stop several tycoons and the political elite,” and asked “whether his murder was being excused with this indictment.”

The charges say that Radovan Stojčić abused his official position in order to stop aprobe from finding out who committed criminal activities in the Niš-based R-5 Company, which was owned by his brother Siniša Stojčić.

Siniša described his brother as an “educated police officer – if I committed any kind of crime he would have arrested me and made an example out of me.”

He said that the indictment is based on several accidental events, one being a night when the truck of Željko Ražnatović, a.k.a. Arkan, full of cigarettes was in one of his company’s depots.

“In March 1997, Ražnatović called and asked if I could store some products for him,” Stojčić said, adding that someone then called the police and told them that there were cigarettes in the trucks.

He said that inspectors checked the trucks and saw the cigarettes, but that when they found out who the truck belonged to, they called Arkan to pick them up, which he did.

A group of nine people is being charged for illegally importing and selling cigarettes on the territory of Serbia in 1997, costing the state about USD 2mn.

Stojčić was indicted as the leader of the group, along with his late brother, with the help of customs workers and company officials who enabled the cigarettes to enter the country illegally.

The packs of cigarettes were labeled as other products and then taken to Stojčić’s warehouses, from where they were distributed around the country and sold, the prosecution claims.

The indictment includes charges against former Deputy Interior Minister Stojan Mišić, former Interior Secretariat Chief in Niš Radisav Gvozdenović, former Interior Secretariat Chief in Zaječar Nenad Živadinović, Nebojša Nikolić and Zdravko Hristov.

Tobacco Mafia defendant pleads not guilty – 8 April 2008 | 14:35 | Source: B92, Tanjug – http://www.b92.net/eng/news/crimes-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=04&dd=08&nav_id=49213

Ristivojevic told the Beta news agency that since this outgoing US administration recognized the terrorist KLA state on Serbian territory, Serbia’s lawsuit will follow swiftly.

He said that it would be best if the outgoing administration revoked its criminal decision, or if the new American administration did that immediately.

Russian officials
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was also a member of the delegation of highest Russian officials who visited Serbian capital on Monday, Feb. 25. He stressed Russia’s support for the restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia.

The Serbian Prime Minister’s advisor said that Serbia will withdraw charges against the US should they revoke that illegal decision.

“If the US does not annul their illegal decision we will take them before every international court,” Ristivojevic said.

Commenting the statement of US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns that Kosovo will “never again” be Serbia, Ristivojevic said that Serbia’s answer is that Kosovo is Serbia and will remain Serbia forever.

Lawsuits Against Countries that Recognize Albanian Mafia State in Serbia – Byzantine Sacred Arts Blog – Posted February 28th, 2008 by hrc – http://europenews.dk/en/node/7813

An interesting aspect of the culminations relating to Kosovo’s status, is the classified reports by intelligence agencies such as the German BND, that have pointed out towards the creation of a “Mafia state” in the heart of the Balkans, that will ultimately assist the proliferation of organized crime activities in Europe. In a 67 page report that was published on the 22nd of February 2005, BND analysts concluded first of all that there is “Close interaction between the leading members of the Kosovo-Albanian society and the domestic & international underworld currently domiciled in Pristina”. Moreover “The criminal networks don’t support the creation of a stable political and economic environment, since that will reduce their clout”. Thus the crime kingpins “Want to acquire elevated positions within the apparatus of the provisional government and influence directly the politicians”. In short organized crime groups in Kosovo are in the position of dictating the rules of the game in case the Province becomes independent. Note however that BND characterizes Kosovo as “A critical region for the transportation of narcotics from the East to Western Europe”. Common knowledge suggests that such a state will base its economic survival into continuing its lucrative use as a contraband paradise for illegal commodities.

What is more interesting is the attest by BND of the “Direct involvement of political figures in Kosovo with the Mafia”. Judging by the fact that 16,000 KFOR troops and numerous agents are established already in Kosovo, one wonders what will be the future once independence prevails in the Province.

The UN police agents had already noted in reports dated back in 2004-2005 the involvement of Ramous Haradinaj in “Drugs, fuel trafficking, racketeering and extortion”. BND in its turn asserts that the Haradinaj team which is based in Decani “Profits from all kinds of illegal actions. It numbers some 100 individuals and controls the local municipality”. The Central Intelligence Unit of the UN, back in 2003 reported that Haradinaj was supported by the USA in 2000, when he run into trouble because of an inter-Albanian rivalry that broke out as a turf war. He then established the “Coalition for the future of Kosovo” and became a Prime Minister in 2004. His tenure lasted just 3 months and subsequently he delivered himself to the Hague charged with war crimes against the civilian Serbian and Roma population during 1999. Again, political pressure exercised by the State Department –And in contrast with the prudent stance by the other services of the US Government- had him provisionally released. His case represents a clear cut message that criminal organizations in Kosovo can flourish despite international presence.

Further, Hashim Thaci, is being reported by BND as “a person with links with the Albanian and Czech Mafias in 2001 and in 2003 his business encounters involved money laundering. “ He is also categorized as a “Well known criminal figure and a key contact of all criminal networks in Kosovo that handles personally excessive amounts of cash.”

Kosovo Islamic links have been numerously reported and the following detail is just another pin point in the overall framework. The director of “Revival of Islamic Heritage Society” in Pristina, Othman A.O. Alhaidar used to run several “charities” in Bosnia-Herzegovina, starting with the “Revival of Islamic Heritage Society,” General Kuwaiti Aid Committee, ‘”Dar El-Bir” of UAE, “Yhia Al-Turas,” and “World Islamic Charity.” He was investigated by SFOR/EUFOR in 2005 on suspicion of sending volunteers from Kosovo-Metohija and Albania to Iraq.

Authors such as Christopher Deliso, Stephan Schwartz and Shaul Shay, have already connected the dots in relation to the penetration of the Kosovo society by a plethora of Islamic organizations that seek to establish a foothold and expect eagerly the declaration of independence, certainly more than the European governments. In Priznen Islamic NGO’s hand out sums of 300-400 Euros per month to moderate Albanian Muslims that seek financial assistance and demand in return adherence in the stricter Islamic mores as they are exercised in the Middle East. Radio stations and DVD clubs are producing Albanian songs with Middle Eastern rhythm and promote Islamic books, whilst there are various indications that the security apparatus of the provisional government has been infiltrated by security agents of Middle Eastern states. Finally the sheer size of the Arab capital in such a poor and underdeveloped land in Europe is another factor that could be used for a complete takeover of this region over the coming years.

The Kosovo experience has been up to date, a great disappointment for the international community. The UN administered territory has not been able to withstand the all-pervading influence of the organized crime. Despite numerous acts of violence and a very high homicide rate; very few convictions have been handed out to culprits, none of those was a member of the organized crime either. Nowadays the existence of regular heroin supply from Afghanistan, and the control by the “Albanian Mafia” of the Balkan route , has enabled it to obtain a large capital base that is laundered mainly though the construction centre in Albania and the use of offshore financial centers. Actually the largest enterprise in terms of sales and profits in South Eastern Europe is the Albanian organized crime.

The Islamic producers of narcotics and especially heroin (Afghans, Central Asians), the Islamic managers (Pakistanis, Iranians, Arabs) and the Semi-Islamic distributors (Turks, Albanians), further tight their business bonds, as long as the Balkan Route remains uncontrolled and the UN does not take any kind of practical action to end this. It is interesting to note that it has been reported by on the ground analysts, that “brides of Albanian-Kosovo descent marry Arab and Pakistani drug barons in order to create global Islamic crime families.” Certainly this is a development unique in the European underworld scene, apart from a similar mode of operation between the Sicilian and Corsican Mafias in the 1950’s.

In a nutshell there could be not tangible solution to the problems concerning South Eastern Europe, if the international community does not invest considerable political capital in combating with the threat that Kosovo-Albanian groups pose. There might not be a state, albeit they form one of the most important aspects when one wants to assess in a balanced way the actual state of affairs in the Balkans. In any other case, an independence move will not only deteriorate USA-Russian relations, but it will also result in a first class degradation of the European security, which will have to face a greater pressure from the asymmetrical threat the Kosovo Mafias pose presently.

Kosovo Underworld Rising – Ioannis Michaletos – 02 Feb 2008 – http://www.analyst-network.com/article.php?art_id=1660

They signed an agreement on cooperation in fighting organized crime, and pointed to the danger posed by ethnic Albanian mafia from Kosovo, Tanjug news agency reported from Slovakia.

“They warned of security threats to both countries coming from the Kosovo Albanian mafia network which also supplies narcotics to Slovakia,” the Serbian MUP said in a statement.

The agreement confirms “excellent bilateral relations and paves the way for efficient coordination of activities, cooperation and mutual assistance in combating threats to public law and order,” the release says.

The agreement also envisages cooperation in crime prevention and fighting organized crime.

Serbian, Slovakian police chiefs talk “Kosovo mafia” – 16 November 2007 | 19:50 | Source: Tanjug – http://www.b92.net/eng/news/crimes-article.php?yyyy=2007&mm=11&dd=16&nav_id=45468

Serbian police have detained eight of 15-member criminal group suspected of cigarette smuggling, led by Stanko Subotic, owner of Un-based MIA company.

The group is suspected of smuggling and illegal sell of cigarettes in the period of 1995-1997 and money laundering in Cyprus via Macedonia and Montenegro.

After several years of thorough investigation into the case, codenamed Network, the police have detained former employees in the Federal Customs Administration – Nebojsa Nikolic alias Tarzan, Dragi Dodeski – a staffer at MIA company, and Milan Rankovic alias Pekin.

Other detainees are Miroslav Pesic alias Miki, who is believed to have made payments on behalf of MIA company, former state administration dignitary Milan Milovanovic alias Mrgud, former chief in Novi Sad police department Miodrag Zavisic, former police official in Novi Sad Milan Popivoda, and the mid-man in the illicit cigarette trading Ivan Olujic.

The detainees will remain in policy custody over the next 48 hours. Within this period, they will show up in court before the investigative judge.

Suspected Serbian tobacco mafia boss still on the run – Belgrade /07/06/ 12:46 – http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=70707&NrIssue=366&NrSection=20

“At the last congress in Phoenix in Arizona where I participated last October, the final conclusion of the congress was that 90% of all financial support of terrorist action in the world comes from drug dealing, and if you have on the other side the Albanian mafia, it is connected with all of these activities,” says Nicovic.

Over 40% of the world heroin smuggling is controlled by the Albanian mafia, and only in the US, 30% of heroin is sold by the emerging Albanian Muslim mafia cartel.

The international recognition of Kosovo will strengthen the drug cartelization that is already taking place through arranged marriages between Muslim Albanian families in Kosovo and the drug producers in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran says Marko Nicovic.

Nicovic warns that the Kosovo Albanian familial chains with Muslim drug families in the Golden Crescent will be impossible to penetrate by the law enforcement.

“When I was appointed Chief of Police in 1983 it is the first time that I met the power of the Albanian mafia. I warned my colleagues in the West that it will be hard to penetrate because all family is involved in smuggling and that makes very difficult for undercover agents to penetrate this structure,” says Nicovic.

Arranged marriages between Kosovo Muslim drug families with ones in Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan is the emerging horizontal integration of the heroin supply from the producers there to the suppliers in Kosovo and only family members will be allowed into this inner sanctum of drugs and terror.

“It will be the very big problem for the Western countries especially now when Kosovo is almost independent. After that European countries will have our Columbia in Europe,” says Nicovic. “It will be the first time in history that mafia has its own country.”

Nicovic says that large amount of the Albanian mafia money is invested into political activities such as lobbies that advocate independence for Kosovo.

“That lobby would organize the structure that would include, for example, some Congressman, some journalist, some analysts, institutes, foundations… for the project of an independent Kosovo,” says Nicovic.

Italy’s Ansa news agency reported Thursday Andrija Drašković, considered an heir to Željko Ražnatović a.k.a. Arkan by the Italian judiciary, was arrested on an oustanding international warrant issued by the Bari anti-mafia department.

Drašković arrived in Germany on a plane from Belgrade prior to being taken into custody by the German police.

The agency added the Italian authorities considered the 43-year-old “one of the most important mafia bosses in the former Yugoslavia.”

The Italian media link Drašković with drugs and cigarette smuggling. After Arkan’s January 2000 murder, Drašković was mentioned as one of the organizers of the hit.

During the subsequent time he spent in jail, Drašković testified in the Arkan murder trial. He told a court he was “close to Rade Marković”, at that time MUP’s state security (DB) chief, and claimed he was in possession of a DB badge, allegedly given to him “during the 1999 NATO bombing.”

Drašković, along with his close associate Aleksandar Golubović stood trial for the September 11, 2000, murder of Zvonko Plećić in a Belgrade restaurant.

He was initially handed a nine and a half years sentence, increased to 12 years after the prosecution appealed the decision.

However, a federal court annulled the verdict and ordered a retrial, during which both Drašković and Golubović were acquitted.

The court found that the pair shot and killed Plećić “in self defense”, although the victim was shot in the back.

After less than four years in prison, Drašković was released. He was on several occasions targeted in botched assassination attempts.

Serbian mafia boss arrested 16 March 2007 – http://www.b92.net/eng/news/comments.php?nav_id=40157

No American Secretary of State ever replied to this concerned Senator.

Albright and the KLA leader Hasim Taci hugging one another during Albright’s visit to Pristina.

That spring, Senator Grassley then followed the inaction of the Secretary of State Madeleine Albright by sending a letter to President Clinton requesting an assessment of KLA drug trafficking to which Clinton responded, in a letter, in which this President said that neither CIA nor the DEA “has any intelligence that indicates the KLA has either been engaged in other criminal activity or has direct links to any organized crime groups,” and promised to monitor Albanian narcotics distribution in the future!

In a sworn testimony before the Congress in December of 2000, however, Assistant Director of Interpol’s Criminal Intelligence Directorate, Ralf Mutschke, stated that Clinton’s State Department, well before Grassley made inquiries about Albanian narco-politics, had “listed the KLA [in 1998] as a terrorist organization, indicating that it was financing its operations with money from the international heroin trade and loans from Islamic countries and individuals, among them allegedly Osama bin Laden.”

Mutschke also confirmed that Osama bin Laden sent one of his top military commanders to Kosovo to lead “an elite KLA unit during the Kosovo conflict.”

For his masterful shielding of Kosovo Albanian drug mafia, Clinton was rewarded in 2004 with an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Pristina in Kosovo, one of the intellectually lowest educational institutions in the world.

“The effects of this [Albanian narco] lobby are well known,” writes Marko Nicovic, former Serbian top cop familiar with Albanian mafia.

“Gratitude toward it is expressed by the existence of Bill Clinton Boulevard and Madeleine Albright Square in Priština. It gained little attention that two years ago, in the space of one month, Bill Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Wesley Clark and Richard Holbrooke paid successive official visits to Priština,” writes Nicovic.

Bob Agresti from the White House, in charge of organized crime and addictive drugs, says that Clinton shielded Kosovo and the Albanian mafia invoking “higher interests.” (more…)

By M. Bozinovich February 11, 2007 http://www.serbianna.com/columns/mb/053.shtml

Poletan has a dual citizenship – Macedonian and Serbian. According to latest information about her whereabouts, she is in Serbia, police said at today’s briefing in Skopje.

Macedonian Interior Ministry says Poletan’s companies had been involved in cigarettes and alcohol trading during the former Slobodan Milosevic’s regime.

The cocaine shipment was to be delivered to certain people in Greece, and its final destination was Western Europe.

Truck driver Alija Azirovic, Poleta’s close associate for more than 20 years, has been detained by Macedonian police.

Stanislava Chochorovska is said to have been linked with the long-serving chief of Macedonian secret police Slobodan Bogoevski. The both were born in Struga’s nearby village of Vevcani.

She become involved in the affair dating from the year 2000, when she threatened to disclose a video footage showing friendly ties between some Macedonian citizens and Slobodan Milosevic’s son Marko including his former friend Vlado Kovacevic alias Tref. They were claimed to have been in charge of whiskey and cigarette smuggling at Serbian market.

Chochorovska is also under an investigation into suspected illegal transfers of football players from Obilic club, owned by Zheljko Razjnjatovic also known as Arkan.

She i9s married to Ranko Poletan, a former commander of Arkan’s paramilitary unit Tigers. /end/

Skopje, 9.01.2007 14:50, MAKFAX, http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=50211&NrIssue=240&NrSection=10