A Serbian footballer has been arrested in Portugal after police stopped a van carrying more than 1.5 tonnes of cocaine and military-grade weapons, according to Portuguese authorities and media reports.
Uroš Milošević, 31, was arrested on Wednesday after Portuguese Judicial Police intercepted the vehicle he was driving on the A6 motorway.
More than 1.5 tonnes of cocaine, estimated to be worth over €70m, were found inside the van, along with two loaded military weapons, according to reports.
The arrest was part of an operation targeting what Portuguese authorities describe as a major Balkan criminal network involved in the trafficking of cocaine across Europe.
Milošević is not widely known internationally as a footballer, but has previously played for several Serbian clubs, including Čukarički, FK IM Rakovica, Teleoptik and Sinđelić Belgrade. He has reportedly been inactive from professional football for the past three years.
The seizure follows another major operation in Spain last week, in which two alleged members of the same network were arrested and 3.7 tonnes of drugs were seized. Portuguese and Spanish authorities cooperated in the investigation.
The so-called “Balkan cartel” has been linked by European law enforcement to large-scale cocaine trafficking, with networks operating across several countries. Investigators are examining whether Milošević had a wider role within the organisation and whether other people were involved.
Portuguese authorities say the investigation remains ongoing and further arrests are possible.
The case has also drawn attention to the use of former athletes by organised crime networks, with investigators now working to establish how and why a former Serbian footballer allegedly became involved in one of Europe’s major cocaine trafficking routes.
