The US State Department says transnational criminal networks in the Western Balkans pose a threat to Americans far beyond the region. The warning came after representatives of the Studentski pokret and Studentska lista met in the US embassy in Belgrade with Brendan Hanrahan, the assistant US secretary of state, and officials from the State Department’s office for international drug control and law enforcement, INL. The talks focused on strategic dialogue with Serbia’s new government and wider regional priorities including stability, economic and security cooperation, and police and defence collaboration. INL said its team joined the meeting and highlighted the importance of fighting organised crime networks in the Western Balkans. In a statement, INL described the networks as a threat to Americans “well beyond the region.” It added that the students’ efforts to combat organised crime complement INL’s ongoing work in Serbia. While the statement emphasised the anti-crime focus of the discussions, it did not provide details on what was specifically discussed or any concrete student activities. INL is part of the US State Department and supports partner countries in strengthening judicial and security capacities as well as tackling organised crime and corruption. The latest development leaves the cooperation framed as ongoing diplomatic and anti-crime engagement, with no arrests, charges, or court outcomes mentioned in the reporting.