# Youth exploitation in Balkan organized crime

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/youth-exploitation-in-balkan-organized-crime
> Updated: 2026-09-11T05:49:47.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 2.

A specific incident in Draševac, Serbia, involving a 44-year-old man accused of ordering his 10-year-old son to shoot a business partner has highlighted the involvement of minors in violent crime. The victim, Milan Ranković, was injured in the attack, which investigators believe was motivated by financial disputes.

This case aligns with broader investigative findings regarding organized crime in Serbia and Montenegro, where criminal groups reportedly recruit minors and young adults as paid assassins. These youths are described as being treated as ‘disposable goods’ to protect cartel leaders from prosecution. Reports indicate that these young perpetrators are often used for high-value hits and may be abandoned or killed by their employers to avoid payment or to close police investigations.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-11: Balkan crime groups exploit youths as hired assassins

Criminal groups in Serbia and Montenegro are increasingly using minors as disposable hired assassins to protect cartel leaders from legal consequences.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/balkan-crime-groups-exploit-youths-as-hired-assassins

### 2026-09-10: Serbia: Father arrested for ordering 10-year-old son to shoot business partner

A 44-year-old man in Serbia was arrested for allegedly ordering his 10-year-old son to shoot a business partner during a dispute near Obrenovac.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/serbia-man-arrested-for-ordering-10-year-old-son-to-shoot-victim

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Cite as: Youth exploitation in Balkan organized crime. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/youth-exploitation-in-balkan-organized-crime