Organized crime poses a threat to the security of citizens, rule of law, legal business and state authorities. Croatia’s transport connections and geopolitical position facilitate the emergence of organized crime. The Republic of Croatia is at the intersection of smuggling routes between Europe and Asia. Croatia edges the part of Europe that has not been admitted into European integration and where state institutions are still too weak to suppress such complex types of crime. SOA collects information on activities of local and foreign criminal groups, their members, organization and ties in Croatia and amongst each other.

Another security threat for the Republic of Croatia arises from the risk of smuggling weapons of mass destruction, hazardous substances and dual-use technologies.

SOA and other state bodies, persistently act to suppress organized crime at the national level, working to identify members of crime groups and obstruct their activities.

Organized crime has developed irrespective of national borders. Effective approaches to the control of organized crime require intensive cross-border cooperation on the EU level. Organized crime is continuously adapting and evolving, challenging state authorities to adapt as well. The organizational and technological complexity of crime groups is greater than ever. Their level of cooperation is growing more sophisticated with a tendency to specialize in particular criminal activity.