Vesna Medenica and Milo Božović banned from entering the US

The State Department has designated former Budva Mayor and MP Milo Božović and former President of the Supreme Court of Montenegro Vesna Medenica as generally ineligible for entry into the United States "due to their involvement in significant corruption that facilitated narcotics trafficking."

As announced by the State Department, Božović abused his public office to support organized crime and international drug trafficking operations.

"In particular, Medenica abused her public office by providing support to a criminal smuggling organization - by leaking judicial information, mediating in court decisions, and accepting bribes in the form of money and real estate to influence court verdicts," the statement reads.

"These designations reaffirm the United States' commitment to combating the illegal drug trade, transnational criminal organizations, and corruption that threaten U.S. security interests in the Western Balkans and beyond," the statement reads.

It was clarified that the designations publicly announced by the Department of State were made pursuant to a section of the Appropriations Act for the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs for fiscal year 2024, as extended by the Continuing Appropriations Act.

The State Department also designates members of the Božović immediate family: Dragana Božović, Balša Božović, and Pavle Božović, as well as members of the Medenica immediate family: Miloš Medenica and Marija Medenica, as generally ineligible for entry into the United States.

The Special State Prosecutor's Office is charging Vesna Medenica and her son Miloš with multiple criminal offenses, and the indictment against them was filed in October 2022. The SDT is charging individuals in the organization with cigarette and drug smuggling, unlawful influence over the judiciary, creation of a criminal organization, smuggling, giving and receiving bribes and unlawful influence and incitement to unlawful influence, abuse of official position, unlawful possession of weapons, causing serious bodily harm and obstruction of evidence.

According to the SDT, Božović is a member of a police drug cartel run by the fugitive head of the Kavač clan Radoje Zvicer and a fugitive with a police badge, Lujbo Milović. This criminal organization is charged with smuggling 4,3 tons of cocaine, laundering around 7.000.000 euros, as well as causing general danger and illegal possession of weapons...