Suspended chemistry professor Radoš Raičević (41) received a sentence of one year and eight months in prison for smuggling marijuana.

His sentence was issued by the Bijelo Polje Higher Court, where Raičević acknowledged his involvement in the illegal production, possession, and distribution of narcotic substances.

On December 26, 2024, Raičević was apprehended at the Dračenovac border crossing after authorities found approximately 18 kilograms of marijuana in the van he was driving.

According to the prosecution and court records, the drugs were concealed both under the passenger seat and inside the driver’s backpack.

Suspicion arose among police and customs officers upon spotting PVC packaging nestled in the cargo area beneath a large bag filled with chopped wood, as one officer recalled during the trial.

His sentence accounts for the time he spent in custody, starting from his arrest until May 19, when the initial ruling was delivered.

In declaring Raičević guilty, the Higher Court in Bijelo Polje noted that he was convicted for illegally transporting 17,792.3 grams of hemp for sale while driving a truck from Berane to Serbia on December 26 of the previous year:

“This substance, classified as a narcotic under the Regulation on the Establishment of the List of Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, and Plants That Can Be Used for Drug Production (Official Gazette of Montenegro 41/2018, 57/18, 123, 21/90, and 23/20), was found in 15.15 packages made of plastic bags and foil, including one zip-lock bag, at the D. border crossing in the municipality of R. The vehicle was stopped around 5:01 p.m., and upon inspection, three packages were located in a bag at the rear, while eight packages were found beneath and in front of the passenger seat in the front compartment. Raičević was aware of the nature of his actions and fully cognizant of the illegality of his act. His sentence encompasses imprisonment from December 26 for a duration of 12 months, factoring in his custody from 2024/19/5 to 2025/XNUMX/XNUMX,” clarified the Higher Court in Bijelo Polje.

Raičević previously admitted his guilt during a session at the Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Bijelo Polje.

His attorney indicated at the confirmation hearing in April that Raičević had confessed to the offense:

“This admission facilitated the effective progression and completion of the investigation by the prosecuting office.”

Raičević is a former member of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) in his city, who departed from the party in late June 2020. Subsequently, he joined the People’s Movement founded by Miodrag Daka Davidović.

Following his arrest, the Ministry of Education and Science announced on January 12 that Raičević had been suspended from his position by the director of the “Panto Mališić” Gymnasium in Berane.

“…The professor from this school, accused of drug smuggling, has been suspended until the criminal proceedings are concluded. Earlier, the school administration was informed by the Police Administration about the professor’s arrest at the border crossing to the Republic of Serbia,” stated the Ministry of Internal Affairs headed by Anđela Jakšić Stojanović.

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