A collection of swords, sabers, crossbows, and yataghans valued at approximately 280,000 euros, along with three motorcycles, was confiscated from the accused criminal group member Mileta Božović.

The assets of this alleged associate of the criminal organization led by Vaso Ulic and Radoje Zvicer were temporarily seized due to suspicions that they were obtained through illegal activities.

The decision was made by Suzana Mugoša, the investigative judge of the Higher Court in Podgorica, in response to a request from the Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT).

The seized motorcycles — “KTM”, “Outlander Can Am”, and “Husqvarna TE 610” — belong to the company “Excalibur MNE,” of which Božović is the founder.

The haul includes 161 pieces of weaponry such as swords, sabers, knives, scimitars, and crossbows, with an estimated worth of 280,490 euros. The collection features antiques from various regions including Venice, Japan, the Caucasus, Constantinople, Albania, Bosnia, and South Africa.

Among the seized items are 39 sabers, 30 scimitars, 13 swords, 47 knives, 14 Japanese swords (Wakizashi), two crossbows, as well as 16 sticks, razors, kani, and souvenirs…

Several yataghans were crafted in Greece, while numerous sabers and knives are of Turkish origin. Some antiques originate from Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albania…

Other confiscated sabers were made in Persia, Russia, and Austria-Hungary, with certain knives hailing from Russia, Germany, and the Caucasus…

Katanas and Japanese Wakizashi swords were sourced from Japan, and some other swords and sabers belong to the Venetian Republic…

Knives produced in the last century from the territory of former Yugoslavia were also confiscated, alongside souvenirs and knife replicas from Pakistan, China, India, and South Africa…

“Evidence suggests that the defendant possesses substantial amounts of cash, as indicated by excerpts from encrypted communications with other members of the criminal organization via the Sky application. There is reasonable suspicion that the vehicles in question, which are not registered in the name of Mileta Božović — such as the unlicensed ‘Outlander Can Am’ motorcycle and the ‘Husqvarna TE 610′ motorcycle — were seized during the investigation due to their potential link to criminal activities. There is also suspicion regarding the financial transactions on his personal and business accounts, running counter to the assets’ legitimate acquisition and not aligning with his actual financial situation and lifestyle,” asserts the ruling document based on the SDT’s proposal.

“The investigating judge considered the defense’s claims that the defendant has been a collector since 2013 and that the items were inherited, gifted, or purchased. However, these claims were dismissed due to a lack of supporting evidence,” notes Judge Suzana Mugoša’s ruling.

Judge Mugoša emphasizes that additional evidence and data reinforce suspicions regarding the illicit acquisition of the movable properties. This is also corroborated by expert findings in antiquities and ethnology from Goran Bubanja.

“Throughout the criminal investigation, the Special State Prosecutor’s Office issued Order Kti-S No. 19/24 on October 10, 2024, directing an expert examination of the antique weapons to ascertain their origin, type, and value. Following this order, an expert report dated November 11, 2024, indicated that the estimated value of the examined antiques reached 249,840 euros. Further assessments conducted led to a report dated December 12, 2024, revealing that the total value of all examined antique weapons is 280,490 euros,” the court documents revealed.

Božović is among those arrested and later charged in the major international operation “General,” aimed at dismantling organized crime syndicates involved in cocaine trafficking from South America to Europe and Australia.

This operation took place on July 17, 2024.

On that same day, individuals including Vaso and Nikola Ulić, Vukan (Vinetu) Čoković Matić, Viktor Drešaj, Radomir Dobriša, Petar Miranović, Marinko Prelević, and Veselin Paro Pavličić were apprehended.

Charges were also levied against Radoje Zvicer, Dragan Pavličević, Vuk Vulević, Radul Božović, Ivan Delić, and Leon Drešaj, who evaded capture, as well as against previously detained individuals Slobodan Kašćelan, Milo Božović, Damir Mandić, Vjekoslav Lambulić, and Radovan Pantović.

Operation “General” is recognized in security circles as one of the most significant strikes against organized crime, particularly due to the names on a nineteen-member list of suspects implicated in transnational cocaine smuggling.

The Montenegrin Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT) and the Special Police Department (SPO) have been working closely with the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

Reports suggest that this marks the first instance of direct involvement from the US DEA and FBI in an investigation with the Special Police Department.

Vaso Ulić and Radoje Zvicer are named as leaders of a criminal organization accused of trafficking around 2.5 tons of cocaine, with members including long-term prisoners like Damir Mandić and notorious figures from the “Amerika” clan, active since the 1990s…

According to prosecution files, Vaso Ulić, Radoje Zvicer, and other unnamed individuals formed a criminal organization in regions like Montenegro, Colombia, Ecuador, Australia, and the Netherlands in early 2020 to perpetrate crimes involving unauthorized production, possession, and trafficking of narcotic drugs.

Judge: No proof of legitimate origin

In her explanation for approving the temporary confiscation of antiques from Mileta Božović, Judge Mugoša highlighted that an ongoing criminal and financial investigation exists against the defendant. Notably, he had formally signed a certificate acknowledging the temporary seizure of these items.

“He did not contest that these items were not his, as he signed it without objections. Furthermore, expert Goran Bubanja’s findings attribute an estimated value of 280,490 euros to these antiques, suggesting they are exceptionally valuable items, their worth starkly disproportionate to the lawful earnings of Mileta Božović. Given that the defendant has provided no evidence regarding the provenance, method of acquisition, or purchase of these antiques, the totality of circumstances leads to a reasonable suspicion that they were procured through criminal endeavors,” Mugoša concludes.

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