Uroš Milošević arrested in Portugal with 1.5 tons of cocaine

Balkan cartel cocaine seizure Uroš Milošević drug trafficking Portuguese police

Uroš Milošević, a 31-year-old former Serbian footballer, has been arrested in Portugal following a major drug seizure. During a police interception of a van on the A6 motorway near Estremoz, authorities discovered more than 1.5 tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding 70 million euros. Additionally, two loaded automatic weapons were recovered from the vehicle.

The arrest is part of a broader international investigation into the ‘Balkan cartel’, a criminal organization believed to have a base in southern Spain and operations spanning across Europe. Authorities suspect the cartel uses the Portuguese coast as a primary entry point for cocaine arriving from South America, which is then transported overland to the Iberian Peninsula.

Milošević, who played for Serbian clubs such as Čukarički and Sinđelić before ending his football career in 2022, has been placed in preventive detention. This operation follows a similar joint action by Portuguese and Spanish police last week in Spain, which resulted in the arrest of two other Serbian nationals and the seizure of 3.7 tons of drugs.

Entities

Balkan cartel · Polícia Judiciária · Portugal · Serbia · Spain · Uroš Milošević

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] The criminal organization has a base in southern Spain and operates across Europe. www.oslobodjenje.ba · sportsport.ba
[● 11 SOURCES] The street value of the seized cocaine is estimated at 70 million euros. www.oslobodjenje.ba · sportsport.ba · opserver.mk · off.net.mk · www.dan.co.me · +6 more
[● 11 SOURCES] Two loaded automatic rifles were found in the van. www.oslobodjenje.ba · sportsport.ba · opserver.mk · off.net.mk · www.dan.co.me · +6 more
[● 11 SOURCES] Authorities seized over 1.5 tons of cocaine from the vehicle. www.oslobodjenje.ba · sportsport.ba · opserver.mk · off.net.mk · www.dan.co.me · +6 more
[● 11 SOURCES] The drugs are believed to belong to the ‘Balkan cartel’. www.oslobodjenje.ba · sportsport.ba · opserver.mk · off.net.mk · www.dan.co.me · +6 more
[● 2 SOURCES] A joint operation between Portuguese and Spanish police recently seized 3.7 tons of drugs in Spain. www.oslobodjenje.ba · sportsport.ba
[● 11 SOURCES] Uroš Milošević was arrested in Portugal while driving a van. www.oslobodjenje.ba · sportsport.ba · opserver.mk · off.net.mk · www.dan.co.me · +6 more
[● 11 SOURCES] Milošević is a 31-year-old former Serbian footballer who played for clubs including Čukarički and Sinđelić. www.oslobodjenje.ba · sportsport.ba · opserver.mk · off.net.mk · www.dan.co.me · +6 more
[● 11 SOURCES] Portuguese and Spanish police conducted a joint operation against the Balkan cartel. opserver.mk · www.cmjornal.pt · off.net.mk · www.dan.co.me · fr.euronews.com · +6 more