Montenegro’s Interior Ministry severs employment with 13 police officers: most accused of organized crime

Montenegro’s Interior Ministry (MUP) has, by force of law, severed employment relations with 13 police officers on August 28, 2026. The decision was made by Interior Minister Danilo Šaranović and was made public by Deputy Prime Minister Aleksa Bečić, while the details were revealed to the Montenegrin daily Vijesti.

Most of the dismissed officers are suspected of serious criminal offenses. Criminal proceedings for forming a criminal organization are underway against 11 of them, while six are accused of abuse of official duty. Among the criminal offenses they are suspected of are also smuggling, money laundering, bribery, the production and trafficking of narcotics, as well as crimes against humanity.

According to MUP data, six of the dismissed officers served in the border police. Their cases are linked to the Kavač clan of the Balkan drug cartel, led by Radoje Zvicer, as well as to the smuggling of 2.5 tons of cocaine and the organized smuggling of cigarettes through the Port of Bar.

The MUP has made public only the names of the dismissed officers: Miljan Knežević, Zoran Kovačević, Predrag Vučurović, Predrag Mijušković, Davor Lukačević, Zoran Gašović, Milan Vukadinović, Dragan Backović, Dražen Vukadinović, Darko Knežević, Milorad Medenica, Marko Drobnjak and Marko Đurišić. The institution refused to disclose their titles and workplaces, citing the “INTERNO” secrecy of the report of the security vetting commission.