Former Serbian footballer arrested in Portugal with 1.5 tons of cocaine

Former Serbian footballer Uroš Milošević has been arrested in Portugal after police discovered more than 1.5 tons of cocaine and two pieces of military weaponry in a van he was operating. The drugs are estimated to be worth 70 million euros. Authorities suspect Milošević was responsible for land transport of narcotics from Portugal to Spain.

This arrest is part of a joint investigation by Portuguese and Spanish police targeting a network linked to the so-called ‘Balkan Cartel’. During the broader operation, significantly larger quantities of drugs were seized, and two additional suspects were arrested in Spain.

Milošević, 31, previously played for several Serbian clubs, including Čukarički, IM Rakovica, Teleoptik, and Sinđelić Beograd, before ending his football career in 2022. The investigation also highlights other high-profile cases, such as the August 2024 arrest of former footballer and MMA fighter Stefan Milojević in Mallorca, Spain, as part of an international drug trafficking crackdown.