What role did organised crime play in the yugoslav wars?

by Maxi_We

So I lately read a bit about the yugoslav wars and how the croatian army for example did not have very good equipment at the start of the war. Did organised crime in the balkans improve the situation for them for example?

boris1892

While I am not aware of any study of role of organised crime, I can offer my first-hand witness account.

  • There were a lot of self-organised groups of "volunteers" that very soon turned to looting of "liberated" villages. infamous Arkan started that way.
  • Some political parties organised their own "volunteers".
  • There was attempts of massive smuggle of weapons to Croatia in 1990, when entire airplane was seized by the army.
  • "Liberated" villages from which the population left were stripped of anything of value. It is sad to see a house with windows pulled out, toilet bowl stolen, electric cables pulled from the walls.
  • I have heard stories (possibly urban legends) of Serbs selling gas and renting tanks (!?) to other sides in war.

In Serbia before these wars there was practically no organised crime. During and after the war, corruption and organised crime became ingrained in all levels of society. Vice-president of one of the parties that was sending volunteers to Croatia is now prime minister, for example.