Slovenia

• Infiltration into the legal economy

Slovenia is located at the northern end of the Balkan route and local organised crime specialises mainly in trafficking drugs and human beings. The study Organized Crime Infiltration of Legitimate Businesses in Europe carried out by Transcrime in 2015 and funded by the EU, brought to light cases of organised crime infiltration in bars and night clubs mainly in the capital Lubiana where, next to the legal erotic entertainment, there are illegal activities involving sexual exploitation, often of young foreign women, victims of trafficking.

One of the largest organised crime investigations to be carried out in the country was “Balkan Warrior” that closed in 2014. In cooperation with the American Drug Enforcement Administration, drug trafficking links between Slovenian and Serb-Montenegrin groups were detected. The head of the Slovenian component owned several bars and restaurants through a company owned by his wife. Immediately after the arrest, these activities were transferred to other family relatives.