Slovenian branch of the ‘Kavač clan’ sentenced to 110.5 years in prison

The District Court in Ljubljana has sentenced 14 members of the Slovenian branch of the so-called “Kavač clan” to a total of 110.5 years in prison, as the Montenegrin portal CdM reports. In the interest of transparency: although the original news headline speaks of 110.5 years, the body of the article states that the sentences handed down amount to 108 years — a discrepancy that has not been officially explained.

The heaviest sentence went to the branch’s leader, Klemen Kadivec: 15 years in prison, a fine of 10,000 euros and an order to return more than 400,000 euros in illegally obtained assets. His brother, Blaž Kadivec, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, a fine of 10,000 euros and the obligation to return 2.2 million euros. The other convicts received from 5 to 9 years in prison and fines ranging from 2,500 to 25,000 euros.

According to the indictment, from December 2018 to May 2021, the group trafficked drugs wholesale in several countries: it brought the drugs into Slovenia and other states, where it sold them to drug dealers. It used part of the proceeds to buy new quantities of drugs, while it tried to hide the origin of the money through Bitcoin transactions.

The presiding judge, Tomaž Bromše, said the verdict was based on credible evidence, including individual testimonies and extensive documentation secured from the “Sky” encrypted communication system used by the defendants. Most of the defendants did not attend the sentencing hearing; the verdict is not final — several defense lawyers have already announced they will appeal. The indictment was filed by the State Special Prosecutor’s Office in November 2021, while the trial began in January 2023, under strict security measures.