147 UDK: 343.985:343.9.02(497.7) 343.985:343.575(497.7) DOI: 10.20544/ICP.8.1.23.P15 CRIMINALISTICS INVESTIGATION OF ORGANIZED CRIME WITH ILLEGAL DRUG PRODUCTION AND TRADE IN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA Svetlana Nikoloska Faculty of Security – Skopje svetlana.nikoloska@uklo.edu.mk Miodrag Labović Faculty of Security – Skopje miodrag.labovic@uklo.edu.mk Abstract Organized crime with illegal drug production and trade in the Republic of North Macedonia is a crime that has its own criminalistics characteristics in relation to the organization of the perpetrators at the national and international level, the method of execution and the use of means of execution. The criminalistics investigation of this criminality has its specificities in the area of operational activities and obtaining operational information, their analysis, checking and undertaking planned measures and actions depending on the degree of suspicion, realization of operational actions by applying complex operational combinations and operational – tactical measures, investigative actions and special investigative measures. In the section of criminalistics investigation, attention is paid to the operational activities and criminal investigations in the direction of complete clarification and provision of evidence for the successful conduct of criminal proceedings against the perpetrators. The paper will analyze the situation with this crime in the period 2019-2022, using the normative method, the statistical method, and the method of comparison and case analysis. Keywords: organized crime, drugs, criminal investigation, operative combinations, perpetrators. 1. INTRODUCTION Organized crime with illegal drug production and trade in the world and in our country is a criminal “business” from which the perpetrators, especially the organizers, acquire enormous financial wealth, which enables them to spread the crime internationally and find schemes, techniques and methods such as for the increase and spread of the criminal organization, as well as for the use of modern means of communication essential for the procurement, organization of transit and resale of drugs, precisely because criminals are innovative in finding solutions for the spread of crime, the security services should respond to the problem of crime suppression. Globalization is the main driver for the development of production, distribution and trafficking of psychoactive substances in many countries in Europe. What is more, the Internet is of great importance both as a communication tool and as an online drug-trafficking marketplace, and above all, as a place where a lot of information