Special Prosecutor’s Office (SDT) is looking into the possible involvement of one of the leaders of Podgorica drug gang, Viktor Dresaj, in cigarette smuggling. The police discovered almost €3m worth of illegally produced cigarettes in a secret warehouse near Tuzi, intended for smuggling, Dan newspaper writes.
The discovered cigarettes lacked excise stamps. They were produced in the New Tobacco Factory in Podgorica (NDKP).
The office also discovered the connection between Isat Boljevic, representative of the BMJ Industries FZ-LLC, from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Dresaj. The UAE company has been managing NDKP since February last year.
It is suspected that Boljevic organised illegal production of cigarettes and that Dresaj planned the transport and sale outside Montenegro.
According to unofficial information obtained by Dan, police is checking the data that Dresaj also organised transport of raw tobacco by boats across Lake Skadar to the NDKP where it was processed and packed later.
As suspected, cigarettes were transported to four warehouses – a warehouse of the Golden Gate company, as well as warehouses in the Kuce Rakica village, Golubovci and the one neare Dresaj’s home. Some of them were rented in advanced.
Another name is being mentioned in connection with this illegal business – Djoka Camaj. The prosecutors are currently checking his role in those activities. The investigating authorities previously suspected Camaj to be associated with tobacco smugglers.
Camaj allegedly charged illegal transport of most of the smuggled cigarettes produced in NDKP to Europe.
The rest of the cigarette, as the investigating authorities suspect, Dresaj drove to Albania by boats across Lake Skadar.
Inspectors collected DNA evidence in the Golden Gate warehouse, where a large quantity of smuggled cigarettes were found on Thursday. The DNA samples are to be compared with Dresaj’s profile, as the officers suspect he leased the warehouse.
Viktor Dresaj was arrested in August 2006 in a police operation against a smuggling ring engaged in trafficking heroin and marijuana from Albania. He was also arrested within the investigation into the murder of police inspector Slavoljub Scekic.
Fishy investments
According to the SDT investigation, more than 100,000 packages of cigarettes were produced in NDKP for smuggling. The money earned in smuggling was allegedly invested in the construction of a tobacco factory hall. The Arab company, which took over managing the tobacco company, did not invest their money.
Dan’s sources claim that Boljevic had sold old cigarette stock of the Point brand at a low price, without the authorities being aware of that. With that money he paid salaries. Apparently, the Arabs gave up investments after CEO Arif Muhammad left the company. He was engaged in the company from 28 July 2016 to 9 September 2016. Maja Bojanic succeeded him at the CEO position.
After the seizure, Boljevic disappeared and turned his phones off
Chairman of the NDKP Executive Committee Isat Boljevic turned his phones off and virtually disappeared after the cigarettes from DKP were found and seized at the Karabusko field near Tuzi. Even his colleagues have failed to get in touch with him since Thursday.
The Centre for Investigative Journalism in Montenegro (CIN-CG) had earlier reported that Boljevic was a friend and business associate of Srecko Kestner, who had been sentenced for smuggling cigarettes.
Boljevic has transferred money to Kestner’s bank accounts through Croatia, thus violating laws of that country. He transferred nearly €1m. In 2009, Croatian customs officers seized a part of Kestner’s money (€180,000) from Boljevic. After several years of trial, he will likely manage to get the money back through the European Court of Human Rights. In addition to Kestner, Isat Boljevic was suspected of smuggling cigarettes as well. In February 2004, Boljevic, as the Zaljevo Commerce company owner and CEO, was prosecuted for delivery of 429 packages of Dunhill cigarettes to Bosnia-Herzegovina with forged corresponding documents. The total value of the cigarettes, which were allegedly intended for Montenegrin market, was about €220,000.
Stankovic: Do not prejudge
NDKP production manager Nebojsa Stankovic said that his duties include organising production, providing quality work and ensuring hygiene and discipline.
“Leave the authorities do their job. I have no information regarding the sale and transport of cigarettes, nor am I interested in that. That’s all I can tell you. I have been responsible for the production and packaging of cigarettes. I have not been in charge for the further process,” he said.
Asked about quantity of Virginia cigarettes produced in NDKP (which the police found in Golden Gate’s warehouse), Stankovic said he could not answer.
