Former security guard Duško Golubović asserted last night in front of the special prosecutor that he has no ties to any illicit activities, including money laundering linked to cigarette smuggling, for which the Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT) is pressing charges against him.

His lawyer, Velibor Marković, reported that Golubović firmly stated that if they were to establish “even a single instance, action, date, call, or message” implicating him, he wouldn’t need to stand trial; he would confess himself. Additionally, he claimed he has never utilized the Sky app.

Golubović was taken into custody yesterday morning, and following an interrogation by special prosecutor Tanja Čolan Deretić, he was placed under detention for a maximum of 72 hours.

This morning, officers from the Special Police Department (SPO) resumed their search at his properties in Žabljak. Previously, they had also searched a residence in Podgorica, a family home in Donja Gorica, and an expansive business-residential facility featuring a SPA and a swimming pool exceeding 900 square meters in the same area.

According to reports from “Vijesti,” the search warrant includes several properties across Montenegro that are registered to Golubović or to individuals closely connected to him.

Marković indicated that he has lodged an appeal against the detention order, although he is not optimistic about its outcome given the prevailing media scrutiny.

“I submitted an appeal; however, realistically, I don’t expect much, particularly due to public pressure,” Marković remarked.

He further elaborated on the basis of the criminal complaint:

“The charges against him involve money laundering linked to criminal undertakings in cigarette smuggling, yet there is a complete lack of clarity regarding when this alleged activity took place, how it occurred, the scale of the cigarettes involved, their worth, who was involved in the supposed operation, who handled the transportation, and where it transpired. Therefore, since money laundering is considered a predicate offense, it requires another crime that led to the unlawful financial gain. This information is absent in the documentation from the Police Directorate and the Prosecutor’s Office, with the allegations being minimally outlined regarding the cigarette smuggling without the necessary specifics. This is highly arbitrary.”

Marković emphasized that his client disclaims any illicit association: “Golubović asserted he has no involvement in any criminal acts. He said: ‘If they uncover any instance, action, date, call, or message, Montenegro will not need to judge me; I will convict myself. But there is nothing of the sort.’

Additionally, lawyer Marković confirmed that the detention order references communications from the Sky app, although Golubović maintains he has never used that service:

“Whether anyone else mentioned me in any context, I cannot say,” he stated.

As reported by “Vijesti,” the SDT alleges that Golubović has amassed a considerable family fortune in both cash and real estate in Montenegro and abroad by laundering millions of euros acquired from unlawful activities.

Through a protracted investigation by the SDT and SPO, various pieces of evidence have been gathered regarding dubious cash transactions that allegedly funded the purchase of luxury properties in Montenegro, including prestigious coastal locales, as well as overseas. Investigators have also traced bank accounts believed to be involved in questionable financial dealings. According to unofficial sources, foreign entities have also aided Montenegrin officials in this investigation.

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