Organised crime in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Organised-crime groups and activities

Organised crime in Bosnia and Herzegovina covers a broad spectrum of illegal activities. One of the most striking examples came in 2003, when criminal groups smuggled and sold 250,000 Zastava M70 Yugoslav-made AK-47s to Iraq. A major obstacle to fighting these networks is the country's deep-rooted corruption and its unusual political structure. Bosnia and Herzegovina is split into two largely self-governing entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska. Each has its own parliament, president, and police force. Because law enforcement agencies in these two regions cooperate poorly, criminals can often avoid prosecution simply by crossing the internal border. This weakness also attracts mafia groups from neighbouring countries, especially Serbia and Croatia, who frequently set up operations in Sarajevo due to its location.

Some steps have been taken to improve collaboration. In 2006, the European Union helped create the State Investigation and Protection Agency, a federal police body with authority across both entities, run directly by the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

After the deaths of the old bosses who once controlled Sarajevo’s underworld, a younger generation has taken over. Among the most notable figures is Mirza Hatić, born in 1987. He has been recorded by police 20 times since 2002 for crimes including attempted murder, endangering security, extortion, and illegal weapons possession, and was released from prison in 2021. Almer Inajetović has been arrested 17 times for robbery, violent behaviour, endangering security, extortion, and illegal weapons possession, and is particularly known for racketeering caterers.

Admir Lekić faces accusations of attempted murder, violent behaviour, endangering security, and illegal weapons possession, and received a 10-year sentence for attempted murder. Muamer Kulosman and Adi Karić are well-known racketeers in Sarajevo. Benjamin Delalić, born in 1993 and the son of the late crime boss Ramiz Delalić, has been on police records since he was a minor, frequently linked to shootings between rival gangs.

In recent years, Bosnian criminal groups have expanded their drug trafficking operations to South America. Several Bosnian nationals, including David Cufaj and Smail Šikalo, have been arrested there for smuggling cocaine into Europe.