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Darko Saric apprehended
Belgrade,
18 March 2014
Minister of Justice Nikola Selakovic said today that drug lord Darko Saric has been apprehended and turned to the Special Court in Belgrade, adding that Saric turned himself in unconditionally a month and a half ago after his arrest became a certainty.
The Minister told a press conference that the absolutely unconditional nature of the surrender is the most important thing, and that proceedings will be conducted against Saric unconditionally on charges of illegal drug trade and money laundering.
He said that the efforts to locate and arrest Saric took nine months, and that his offer to turn himself in arrived a month and a half ago.
Simultaneously with efforts to locate Saric, a negotiation process was under way from the moment it became clear that the arrest is a certainty, the Minister added.
Saric was brought to Belgrade this morning and his interrogation at the Special Court is under way, he said.
Serbian operatives located his movement in several Latin American countries, and once the arrest became a certainty, the Ministry of Justice received a contact request from Darko Saric's attorney, Selakovic said.
The Minister said that the prerequisite for the entire operation was created on 13 June, when a special task force was formed within the Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) on direct orders by First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic for the sole purpose of locating and arresting Saric.
Apart from BIA, Montenegrin ministries of the interior and justice also had a major role in locating Saric, as did an entire network formed by security agencies of other countries such as the United States, Spain, Switzerland and Slovenia, Selakovic said.
He said that the efforts to locate and arrest Saric took nine months, and that his offer to turn himself in arrived a month and a half ago.
Simultaneously with efforts to locate Saric, a negotiation process was under way from the moment it became clear that the arrest is a certainty, the Minister added.
Saric was brought to Belgrade this morning and his interrogation at the Special Court is under way, he said.
Serbian operatives located his movement in several Latin American countries, and once the arrest became a certainty, the Ministry of Justice received a contact request from Darko Saric's attorney, Selakovic said.
The Minister said that the prerequisite for the entire operation was created on 13 June, when a special task force was formed within the Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) on direct orders by First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic for the sole purpose of locating and arresting Saric.
Apart from BIA, Montenegrin ministries of the interior and justice also had a major role in locating Saric, as did an entire network formed by security agencies of other countries such as the United States, Spain, Switzerland and Slovenia, Selakovic said.
Prosecutor for Organised Crime Miljko Radisavljevic said that it is in the interest of the investigation not to give precise information about the locating and manner in which Darko Saric was arrested as 18 of his associates are still at large.
A total of 15 persons are suspected of cocaine trafficking, while three are believed to be involved in money laundering, he said, noting that Saric is charged with trafficking 5,754 kg of drugs as of 2009 and laundering €22 million in Serbia.
The next hearing for Saric’s clan is scheduled for 24 March, he said.
He expressed satisfaction that Saric is in custody, adding that this is the result of a committed work of BIA, the Ministry of the Interior and the Office for Coordination of Security Services.
We established an intensive cooperation with colleagues from other countries and today's result is an outcome of our joint work and cooperation with all colleagues across the world, Radisavljevic said.
Saric was at large for four years and a half. In January 2010, an order for custody and an international arrest warrant were issued for Saric.
He is accused of organising international drug trafficking. The seizure of three tonnes of cocaine, which took place thanks to the cooperation of the Serbian Interior Ministry and US DEA, brought him to the spotlight of the international public.
A total of 15 persons are suspected of cocaine trafficking, while three are believed to be involved in money laundering, he said, noting that Saric is charged with trafficking 5,754 kg of drugs as of 2009 and laundering €22 million in Serbia.
The next hearing for Saric’s clan is scheduled for 24 March, he said.
He expressed satisfaction that Saric is in custody, adding that this is the result of a committed work of BIA, the Ministry of the Interior and the Office for Coordination of Security Services.
We established an intensive cooperation with colleagues from other countries and today's result is an outcome of our joint work and cooperation with all colleagues across the world, Radisavljevic said.
Saric was at large for four years and a half. In January 2010, an order for custody and an international arrest warrant were issued for Saric.
He is accused of organising international drug trafficking. The seizure of three tonnes of cocaine, which took place thanks to the cooperation of the Serbian Interior Ministry and US DEA, brought him to the spotlight of the international public.
