Podgorica, (MINA) – The Balkan cartel was dismantled on Wednesday following a months-long operation in Montenegro, said director of the Police Administration Lazar Scepanovic, noting that Europol also took part in the operation.

Scepanovic said this at a press conference in Podgorica, adding that searches were carried out at 11 locations across Montenegro, resulting in the arrest of seven individuals, one of them was already in Spuz prison.

The arrested Svetislav Filipovic (44), according to Scepanovic, is the leader of the heterogeneous criminal group, the Vijesti online reports.

“Other arrested are Gojko Boricic (35) Enes Borancic and Petar Krsmanovic (25)”, Scepanovic said.

According to him, G.B. (50) from Podgorica, who is no longer in Montenegro, formed part of a criminal group whose members were Adzijusovic Emin, Bozo Vujisic and P.F.

The group also included S.N. from Nis, who is currently at the Directorate for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions (UIKS) after his arrest in August in Podgorica, as well as Vukan Vujacic (36), a member of an organized criminal group from Cetinje, who is internationally wanted.

“At the beginning of October 2024, the Police Administration launched a complex months-long international operation codenamed ‘SPECTACULAR’, in coordination with the Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica, and during the investigative stages it partnered with services from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Spain, with the strong support of EUROPOL’s specialized anti-drug unit”, Scepanovic said.

He added that the investigative measures by authorities in Montenegro, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Germany were focused on uncovering a transnational criminal network that operated across several countries and continents and carried out drug trafficking, arms smuggling and other criminal activities.

“These criminal activities included drug trafficking, primarily cocaine, from South America to the countries of the EU”, Scepanovic said.

He added that the operation resulted in the seizure of 4.5 tons of narcotics, 12 individual major seizures, including 2.7 tons of cocaine in Bolivia, while ten individuals were arrested by the end of 2024.

“In addition, 1.8 tons of various drugs were seized in Europe: Belgium, Germany and Montenegro, including about 1.55 tons of cannabis, 120 kilograms of hashish and about 120 kilograms of cocaine”, Scepanovic said.