Organizers of criminal acts in Montenegro offer kaucias over 10 million euros without naming the suspects.

In the past year, several people accused of organized crime in Montenegro have offered bail to get out of jail so they can defend themselves at large. Arrest is ordered in cases where the defendant can influence witnesses, there is a risk of reoffense, and there is a likelihood of flight. The amounts offered for release from prison range from a few hundred thousand to several million euros, mostly in the form of real estate.

Bail requests

Petar Lazovic offered 7.6 million euros, mostly in the form of real estate belonging to his relatives and friends. Lazovic is a former National Security Agency official accused of involvement in a drug cartel in Montenegro, abuse of office, drug and arms smuggling. Lazovic's offer to be released from prison was rejected by the High Court.

Milos Medenica, son of former Montenegrin Supreme Court president Vesna Medenica, offered about 800,000 euros, mostly in family real estate. He, along with 14 others, is charged with a host of crimes, including forming a criminal organization, smuggling, bribe giving and receiving... The highest court is considering the request.

Marko Vucinic, Milos Medenica's godson, has offered the court 135,000 euros to be released from prison. Vucinic is suspected of smuggling 2,000 packs of cigarettes across the border twice in 2019. The request is also being considered by the High Court.

Blajo Jovanić, former president of the Economic Court in Podgorica, has offered 768,000 euros, also in the form of real estate. He faces charges of criminal organization and malfeasance in office, as well as damages to several companies, along with management entities and appraisers who are also charged. The offer was rejected by the High Court in Podgorica.

Hen Do Kwon, the so-called "king of cryptocurrencies," offered 400,000 euros each for himself and his business partner Hong Chang Jun to await trial on charges of passport falsification that caused them to be detained at Podgorica airport. The main court first accepted bail totaling €800,000 and canceled their detention. The Superior Court overturned the decision, after which they were returned to the prison in Spuzha.

Dragan Kovacevic, former director of the Real Estate Authority, offered a little over half a million euros in real estate to be released from prison. He is facing charges of misappropriating public land in the Marine Good Zone. Kovacevic had remained beyond the reach of Montenegrin justice for several months prior to his arrest. The Superior Court accepted bail despite objections from the Special Prosecutor's Office. When the judgment becomes law, he will be released from jail.

What happens to the bail after that?

The amount of the bail is returned to the defendant after the legal judgment. If the defendant escapes, the bail is forfeited and remitted to the court budget. In the past few years, only one runaway has been reported after posting bail. Miloš Čujević, accused of hacking fraud, was released from prison in 2017 after posting a bail of 230,000 euros, guaranteeing that he would appear for a court summons. He then disappeared and was sentenced to five years in prison in his absence.