Court Delays Final Statements in Major Drug Trafficking Case

The court proceedings against Radoje Zvicer and his alleged criminal network, accused of trafficking 743 kilograms of cocaine from South America, were postponed to March 15, 2024, following a request from the defense team. The special prosecutor, Zoran Vucinic, had just concluded his portion of the final statements when the defense sought additional time to prepare, citing new information not previously disclosed.

Judge Sonja Kekovic granted the defense’s request, emphasizing the necessity for a thorough examination of the new evidence presented by the prosecutor. The defense argued that without reviewing these new claims, they could not adequately prepare their final arguments. Defense attorney Nikola Ivanovic stated, “In today’s final statement, the prosecutor mentioned new circumstances that the defense must investigate in detail. Therefore, we are unable to present our closing remarks today.”

The request for more time came after the court had previously rejected several motions from the defense, including one to hear a French language translator regarding a disputed sentence that had different meanings in two translations. The court also denied a proposal to suspend proceedings until the extradition process of accused Dragan Knezevic from France is complete.

During his closing remarks, Vucinic highlighted connections among the accused through SKY communication related to the seized cocaine shipment. He noted that Knezevic had sent a list specifying quantities of cocaine on a group chat, suggesting the defendants were communicating about the shipment seized from Colombia. Vucinic claimed that Zvicer personally provided €340,000 for the cocaine.

According to the prosecution, the list was authored by Radoje Zvicer, who allegedly instructed Knezevic, “I write, you remember.” Defense attorney Marko Radovic pointed out that the prosecutor referenced communication that had not been properly admitted as evidence. “The prosecutor referred to a PIN from the SKY application that is already part of this case, but is also subject to another ongoing investigation. We suggested joining the cases,” Radovic stated.

The Higher Court in Podgorica previously confirmed the indictment against Igor Bozovic, who, along with Zvicer, Slobodan Kacelan, Milan Vujotic, and Knezevic, is charged with smuggling the cocaine seized in Rotterdam in 2020. The ongoing trial continues to attract significant attention, with implications for drug trafficking networks operating between Europe and South America. As the case unfolds, the focus remains on the intricate connections among the accused and the evidence that may sway the court’s decision.