In a major international operation against the Balkan Cartel, seven people were arrested in Montenegro, one suspect is already in prison in Skopje for another crime, while the police are searching for two more suspects - Gojko Boričić (50) and Vukan Vujačić (36).
The operation was carried out today in Montenegro and Germany, with the support of Europol.
According to data from the Police Directorate, 14 suspects have been processed, 10 of whom in Montenegro, while four people were arrested in Germany.
Svetislav Filipović (47) from Podgorica, who was designated by Europol in an official statement as a high-risk target and the organizer of a cell of the Balkan Cartel, was arrested on the territory of Montenegro.
He is charged with committing the aggravated criminal offense of unauthorized production, possession and distribution of narcotic drugs, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, as well as the criminal offense of illicit trafficking in weapons and explosives.
Boban Golubović (35), Enes Borančić (22) and Petar Krsmanović (25), all from Podgorica, were also arrested on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of unauthorized production, possession and distribution of narcotic drugs.
The police also suspect Gojko Boričić (50) from Podgorica, born in Berane, of forming part of this criminal network, but according to the police, he has not been on the territory of Montenegro for a long time.
Emin Adžijusufović (35), Božo Vujsić (30) and Pavle Pejić (33) were also arrested on suspicion of committing the crimes of criminal association and unauthorized production, possession and distribution of narcotic drugs.
Video: Police Department
Members of a high-risk criminal group have also been identified within the same network, including Nemanja Stojanović (34) from Niš, who is already in UIKS, and Vukan Vujačić (36) from Cetinje, for whom an international arrest warrant has been issued. According to police, they are also suspected of the unauthorized production, possession and distribution of narcotics.
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The Director of the Police Administration, Lazar Šćepanović, said that this was a multi-month international operation codenamed "Spectacle", launched in early October 2024 in coordination with the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica.
According to him, the investigation was aimed at exposing a transnational criminal network that operated in several countries and on several continents, and was involved in the smuggling of cocaine, cannabis and hashish, as well as arms trafficking.
"In early October 2024, the Police Directorate began a complex multi-month international operation codenamed 'SPECTACULAR', in coordination with the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica, where in the investigative phases it also included partner services from the Federal Republic of Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Spain as leaders in this activity, with strong support from the specialized EUROPOL unit for the fight against drugs, which enabled constant coordination of operational activities, exchange of information and analytical support during data processing, and financial support for the implementation of the operation. The investigative measures and actions of the criminal investigation authorities of Montenegro, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Germany were predominantly focused on the transnational dimension of uncovering a covert criminal network that operated in several countries on several continents and carried out drug trafficking - cocaine and cannabis in large quantities, arms trafficking and committed other criminal offenses," said Šćepanović.
He explained that the criminal activities involved the smuggling of cocaine from South America to European Union countries, while the smuggling of cannabis and hashish was carried out predominantly via the route from Asia to European Union countries and to a lesser extent through smuggling routes in Europe, using maritime container traffic, as well as air traffic and land smuggling routes, including hidden sophisticated methods of transport.
"Based on the conducted police and prosecutorial activities, it has been unequivocally established that this criminal network procured, sold and brokered the sale of cocaine and marijuana, organized a network of dealers and brokers both nationally - the territory of Montenegro, and internationally, on the territory of Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, Thailand, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Over 100 police officers participated in this activity on the territory of Montenegro, which was coordinated by officers of the Crime Prevention Sector - Drug Control Department, including members of the Special Police Unit and officers of drug control units from regional centers and security departments.
"During today's final international operationalization and implementation of these activities, they were carried out on the territory of Montenegro and Germany, with the support of EUROPOL, and on that occasion, 11 locations in Montenegro were searched, 14 suspects have been processed so far, of which 10 in Montenegro and 4 persons were deprived of their liberty in Germany, and among these persons is one person from Montenegro, who is treated as a high-ranking target of law enforcement authorities at the international level," said Šćepanović.
He pointed out that Filipović was arrested due to suspicion that he committed the qualified form of the criminal offense of unauthorized production, possession and distribution of narcotic drugs, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years in prison, and the criminal offense of illicit trafficking in weapons and explosives.
He explained that this criminal network consisted of heterogeneous structures, among which members of a high-risk criminal group were identified, who created a collaborative network.
"These are SN (34) from Niš, who is currently in UIKS due to the criminal offense of unauthorized possession of weapons and explosives, registered as a member of one of the high-risk organized crime groups, and the activities of the Police Directorate officers in August 2025 thwarted his actions, as it is suspected that the commission of a serious crime against life and limb was prevented and processed VV (36) from Cetinje, an internationally wanted person, a member of a high-risk organized crime group, who was sentenced by a first-instance verdict to 15 years in prison for the criminal offense of aggravated murder, and as presented in the criminal report, it is suspected that these two persons committed the criminal offense of unauthorized production, possession and distribution of narcotic drugs," he said.
He explained that the total balance, or rather the result of that operation, was the seizure of around 4,5 tons of narcotics, in 12 individual large seizures:
"Of which 2,7 tons of cocaine in Bolivia, (and in this operation at the end of 2024, 10 people were deprived of their liberty) and 1,8 tons of various types of drugs in Europe - Belgium, Germany and Montenegro, of which about 1,55 tons of cannabis, 120 kg of hashish and about 120 kg of cocaine."
He explained that in implementing and realizing these activities, Montenegro has shown itself to be a leader in regional initiatives, and the participation of respectable international partners demonstrates the rating of our law enforcement agencies in the international framework and the very clear support and trust of the international intelligence community and the umbrella agency of the European Union - EUROPOL.
"Finally, I would like to express my gratitude and respect to my colleagues from our partner services, all the officers of the Police Directorate who participated in this activity, as well as to the state prosecutor who led this complex investigation, with a clear message that we continue with undiminished capacity in the fight against high-risk organized crime groups in suppressing drug trafficking as a dominant transnational criminal activity, as well as in detecting criminal offenses defined as national priority areas," said Šćepanović.
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