Pavićević and others were detained

Baranin Đorđi Pavićević was detained for up to 72 hours, after the hearing at the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT), his defense attorney, lawyer Zoran Piperović, confirmed to "Vijesta".

Pavićević is suspected of creating a criminal organization and cigarette smuggling, and was arrested yesterday in an SDT operation.

He was handcuffed by members of the Special Police Department, who in the same operation arrested two officials of the Revenue and Customs Administration - Ivana Kovačević and Veljko Đuričić, as well as Nikica Kovačević, a former employee of Pavićević's company.

They were also detained for up to 72 hours.

"I asked that detention not be ordered, for the simple reason that Pavićević has no intention of going anywhere. He had time, if he wanted, especially after Dritan Abazović poisoned the Montenegrin public for a year and a half about who is a smuggler and who he did not. If he had been called, Pavićević could have left Montenegro. Pavićević himself came to the Podgorica Security Department by car. He was told that the grounds for detention would probably be point 4 - the gravity of the crime, because he is charged with having founded criminal organization. What the prosecutor disputed was read. Pavićević said that the papers seized by the SPO contained everything that denied the claims from the report. By the way, I also told the journalists that I was grateful to the inspectors of the SPO and prosecutor Radonjić, on a correct and professional relationship both towards me and towards the defendant Pavićević," Piperović told "Vijesti".

He said that Pavicevic will be brought before judge Suzana Mugoša on Friday after 15 pm.

VIDEO Arresting Pavićević in SDT

According to the information of "Vijesti", SPO members searched several buildings in Bar yesterday and today, including several business and residential premises of the suspects, as well as the premises of the Basketball Club Mornar from Bar.