How a sizable heroin shipment set off from Kosovo through Montenegro to Europe: It started with €500

Photo: Customs Administration

A citizen of North Macedonia, Arben Aliu (29), has admitted to bringing about 11 kilograms of heroin from Kosovo to Montenegro on February 23, on his way to Italy - but claims that he did not know he was transporting the drugs.

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He said that yesterday in the Bijelo Polje Higher Court, where he is on trial for the criminal act of unauthorized production, possession and distribution of narcotics, Vijesti writes.

Aliu testified before the court in the presence of a court interpreter for the Albanian language, Zivko Senic. The accused admitted to the criminal offense he was charged with, but explained that he did not know he was transporting drugs, that is, that he assumed that there might be drugs in the car.

It all started with a debt of 500 euros

Although he said that the person, whose identity he could not reveal, told him that they had packed "tablets" and put them in the car, he said that he didn't know that a "bunker" also existed in the car.

"It all started with a debt of 500 euros. I was supposed to pay back in five installments, but that person started calling me on the phone and asking me to pay interest every Monday, so the debt soon grew to 900 euros. I had bought the car from a friend to pay in installments, and that person took it back until I repaid the debt," said the accused.

He explained that after a couple of days, he received a proposal to pay off the debt by taking some pills to Italy by car.

He claims that he did not know that the heroin was hidden in the car, but admits that he had a hunch, because he did not see what exactly had been packed.

"Once I was in Italy, I was to leave the car for a short time to the people who would call me, while I was staying in a hotel," he says.

He explained that his girlfriend went with him and claims that she had no idea he was transporting something.

Aliu pointed out that he agreed to such an offer because that person explained that they were banned from traveling around Europe.

However, he could not disclose the identity of that person fearful of the fact there were journalists in the courtroom.

Aliu said that he hads no prior convictions, and when asked by the prosecutor, he explained that he stayed in Italy, France, Turkey and Belgium for a couple of days, but that he did not smuggle anything, adding that he in the past worked in Malta as a waiter for several months.

In her closing arguments, prosecutor Milica Rmandic pointed out that the claims from the indictment were proven with all the evidence presented, while the defendant's lawyer Drago Konatar requested a lenient sentence, bearing in mind that this was a young man, a student, who is not married, and who has expressed sincere remorse.

Aliu said that he has sincere regrets and promised that he would never commit a similar act again in his life.

According to the indictment, Aliu was caught smuggling 11,083.71 grams (just over 11 kilograms) of heroin,  in 24 packages, on February 23 at around 1:40 am at the Kula border crossing near Rozaje, traveling from Kosovo to Montenegro, with the goal of further selling the drugs.

The drugs were hidden in a special "bunker" made between the rear stop lights.

The Police Directorate previously announced that after several months of joint activities with the police of the Republic of North Macedonia at the Kula border crossing, a heroin smuggling channel had been cut.

The verdict will be announced on Friday.

(Telegraf.rs)