Two Russians arrested in Montenegro, fortune worth around €1 million found in their apartment

During a search of an apartment in Budva used by two Russian nationals, A.K. (31) and A.K. (42), police found and seized cash in eight different currencies with a total value of around one million euros.

According to the Montenegrin Police Directorate, the search also uncovered a polygraph, communication devices, a large quantity of various IT equipment and suspected counterfeit money.

The two Russian nationals had been arrested on September 23 at the “Tivat Airport” border crossing, on suspicion of committing the criminal offenses of smuggling and money laundering, RTCG reports.

On September 25, on the order of the Basic Court in Kotor, officers of the “South” Border Police Regional Center, the Department for Combating Cross-Border Crime, together with the high-tech crime unit, the National Security Agency and the Special Police Department, searched the apartment in Budva.

During the search they seized various IT equipment, communication devices, a polygraph and cash in eight different currencies. Besides the euro, the currencies were those of Russia, Serbia, Israel, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Kyrgyzstan. The total value of the money was around one million euros.

Police also found 1,120 euros suspected of being counterfeit. All items found will undergo further forensic examination.

The two individuals had been checked on September 23 at Tivat Airport, where in their luggage, spread across 19 suitcases, police and customs had found 26,210 euros, 1,150 Israeli shekels, as well as a considerable quantity of undeclared electronic equipment and medicines.

Several communication devices the two Russian nationals were using had also been temporarily seized.

The state prosecutor at the Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Kotor had assessed that their actions contained elements of the criminal offenses of smuggling and money laundering and had ordered their arrest.

Montenegrin authorities have announced that investigations are continuing, in cooperation with the competent prosecutors, the National Security Agency and other institutions of the security system and the international intelligence community, with the aim of fully clarifying the circumstances surrounding the two suspects.