Šaranović: The state has responded strongly to organized crime

Interior Minister Danilo Šaranović announced that several criminal networks were dismantled in multiple actions by the police, prosecutors' offices, and international partners, including a group that was following police officers and a cell suspected of planning assassinations in Podgorica.

He said that in recent days the state has responded strongly to organized crime, that in coordination with the Police Directorate, the Special State Prosecutor's Office and international partner services, several operations have been carried out aimed at preventing serious crimes, locating, arresting and prosecuting members of organized crime groups operating at the national and international levels.

He recalled that the police and the Special State Prosecutor's Office have solved six murders committed from 2017 to 2019, for which members of organized crime groups are responsible.

He emphasized that the police had uncovered a criminal group that, he claims, used sophisticated equipment and applications to track police officers and official vehicles in real time, providing logistics to members of organized crime groups and disrupting police activities.

"Nemanja Zurovac (29) and Mehmed Mekić (21) have been deprived of their liberty, while Vasilije Lakić (22) is being intensively searched for. They are suspected of the criminal offenses of criminal association and participation in a group that prevents an official from performing an official act. Searches were carried out at 14 locations in Bar, Budva and Herceg Novi, and digital equipment, vehicles and other items were seized that will be the subject of further expert examination," Šaranović announced.

He also stated that in an operation by the Special Police Department, the Crime Prevention Sector, the Regional Security Center "Centar" and the Higher State Prosecutor's Office, with the support of the Special Police Unit and the National Security Agency, an active cell of a high-risk organized crime group that operated in the territory of Podgorica and planned murders was dismantled.

"Milos Markovic (36) was deprived of his liberty for the criminal offenses of aggravated murder, creation of a criminal organization and illegal possession and carrying of weapons and explosives, Arijan Reckovic (23) for the criminal offenses of aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder, and Tarik Muminovic (22) for aiding in the commission of the criminal offense of attempted aggravated murder. During the operation, searches were carried out in several apartments and other premises used by the suspects, which dismantled the activities of this criminal cell in the territory of Podgorica," said Šaranovic.

The Minister of Interior also stated that, on the order of the Special State Prosecutor's Office, the Special Police Department, in cooperation with the National Security Agency in Rožaje, arrested Haris Monić, a citizen of Montenegro and the Netherlands.

Monić was arrested on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of creating a criminal organization and several criminal offenses of unauthorized production, possession and trafficking of narcotic drugs at the international level.

Šaranović stated that in an international operation by FAST teams from several European countries, Mili Bajramović (33), a high-ranking member of an organized crime group wanted by Montenegro, was arrested in Rimini.

"Bajramović is wanted for the crimes of creating a criminal organization, aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, and illegal possession of weapons and explosives. He is suspected of the murder of Šćepan Roganović in Herceg Novi in ​​2020, while Austrian authorities are seeking him for the murder of Vladimir Roganović and the attempted murder of SV in Vienna in 2018," Šaranović's statement reads.

He added that in a joint operation by Interpol Podgorica and Moscow, Kristijan Drešaj, a member of an organized crime group operating in Montenegro, Australia and South America, was arrested in Russia.

"An international arrest warrant was issued for him on suspicion of committing the crimes of creating a criminal organization and international drug trafficking," the statement said.

Šaranović emphasized that he is proud of the results in the fight against organized crime that the security sector is achieving in cooperation with the Special State Prosecutor's Office and other prosecutors' offices.

"We continue the determined fight against organized crime, with intensive international cooperation and the application of modern operational and investigative capacities, with the aim of protecting the safety of citizens and strengthening the rule of law," said Šaranović.