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9 arrested on suspicion of cocaine trafficking in Montenegro

2024-07-18 22:42:00, Kronika CNA

Authorities in Montenegro, in cooperation with EUROPOL and the US law enforcement agencies, FBI and DEA, arrested on Wednesday nine people suspected of smuggling about 2.5 tons of cocaine from South America to Europe and Australia in October 2020 and June 2021, while six other suspects are still being sought, the Montenegrin prosecutor's office announced.

The Special Prosecutor's Office of Montenegro announced that VU and RZ are suspected of being the organizers of the smuggling of 1,570 kilograms of cocaine by ship from South America to Europe and Australia in October 2020, as well as 900 kilograms in June 2021.

"The evidence collected shows that during the years 2020 and 2021, members of this criminal group have trafficked a total of 2.47 tons of cocaine from South America to Europe and Australia ," states the law enforcement announcement.

Law enforcement agencies said the individuals arrested were closely linked to various criminal cells in the country, within a larger drug trafficking network spread throughout the Balkan region and beyond. Some of the detainees are suspected of belonging to one of the most notorious and violent Montenegrin clans "Kava?", while others are suspected of running their own independent criminal groups.

The nine suspects were already known to authorities, having appeared in a number of previous drug-trafficking investigations. Investigators have identified that the networks in which they played leading roles had developed a large logistics network to facilitate drug trafficking from the EU to Australia. They were able to source cocaine from source countries and transport it for distribution in European and Australian markets, authorities said.

In recent years, the criminal networks of the Western Balkans have increasingly targeted the Australian drug market, as the illicit proceeds of cocaine trafficking there are significantly higher than in European markets. The supply route includes Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil, with transfers through southern Europe and Africa to Australia./ VOA