Serbia Seizes Five Tons of Marijuana; Investigation Led by Prosecution, Originates from North Macedonia

Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić announced a major success for the police with the seizure of five tons of marijuana in the village of Konjuh, near Kruševac. Dačić hailed the operation as a significant achievement but cautioned that the main suspects and the organizer remain at large, as the investigation is now under the purview of the prosecution.

Dačić stated that approximately 18 tons of drugs have been confiscated in Serbia over the past two and a half years, emphasizing that the Konjuh seizure is among the largest. He indicated that authorities had been tracking the primary suspects and the organizer, but declined to reveal sensitive details, citing the ongoing prosecution-led investigation.

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The seizure in Konjuh is one of the largest. There have been several others along this line, and we were searching for the main suspect and organizer, but it is all in the hands of the prosecution, and I could not give such secret information now.

The marijuana found in Konjuh was reportedly transported from North Macedonia, triggering a separate investigation in that country. Dačić explained that once Serbian police complete their actions, the case is handed over to the prosecution, a process likely mirrored in North Macedonia.

North Macedonian Minister of Interior, Panče Toškovski, echoed Dačić's sentiment, stating he could not add more to the public prosecutor's statements and that the prosecution should be allowed to conduct its work. He confirmed that some members of the drug smuggling group originating from North Macedonia have been arrested and charged.

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With us, and probably in North Macedonia as well, when the police complete certain actions, we hand those actions over to the prosecution, which leads the investigation.

The North Macedonian Public Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime and Corruption initiated an investigation on February 2nd into how five tons of marijuana made their way from North Macedonia to Serbia. Several individuals have been arrested in both countries. However, Aleksandar Mijajlović, for whom an international arrest warrant has been issued on suspicion of organizing the criminal group, is reportedly still on the run, according to Macedonian media.

In response to the incident, the North Macedonian government began an extraordinary inspection of all medical cannabis production companies on February 12th. This measure aims to prevent illegal production and distribution to both domestic and international black markets, occurring just days after the large marijuana seizure in Serbia in late January.

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I think we should let the prosecution do its job in accordance with its legal jurisdiction.