Organized crime groups from Serbia and Montenegro have established links reaching as far as Venezuela, as evidenced by major cocaine seizures, arrests, and court proceedings that have either concluded or are still ongoing.
These groups have been identified by international organizations such as EUROPOL and INTERPOL as among the key actors in cocaine trafficking from Latin American countries to Europe.
Venezuela has recently come into sharper international focus as a transit hub for cocaine trafficking, particularly following the arrest of the country’s ousted leader Nicolás Maduro by United States forces in early January.
Maduro is set to stand trial in the United States under an indictment accusing him of overseeing a cocaine trafficking network that cooperated with violent groups, including the Mexican cartels Sinaloa and Los Zetas, Colombia’s leftist FARC rebels, and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. During his initial court appearance in New York, Maduro denied all charges.
Why is Venezuela important for Balkan criminal groups?
As explained to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) by Saša Đorđević from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), Venezuela plays an important role in cocaine smuggling involving criminal networks from the Western Balkans because it represents a “strategic outbound corridor from Latin America to the Atlantic.” From there, most cocaine is shipped either directly to Europe or via West Africa.
According to Đorđević, Venezuela is significant for Balkan criminal groups, but it is not their primary hub for trafficking cocaine from Latin America to Europe. Countries such as Colombia and Brazil, and more recently Ecuador, are far more important in this regard.
The arrest of Maduro and US actions against cocaine trafficking networks are unlikely to have a major impact on these groups, Đorđević believes.
“Given that these groups have always been highly flexible, I assume that those who used Venezuela will find alternative routes in other countries where, in my view, much more important operational bases already exist,” he said.
Who are the main actors?
The links between Balkan criminal groups and Venezuela were uncovered through a major cocaine seizure near the coast of Aruba, close to Venezuela, in February 2020.
At the time, the Dutch navy intercepted the vessel Aressa, which had previously docked at the Venezuelan port of Guaranao. Authorities seized five tons of cocaine on board.
Eleven Montenegrin nationals, members of the ship’s crew, were arrested. According to Montenegro’s Police Directorate, the seizure was the result of cooperation between Montenegro, the United Kingdom, Serbia, and the Netherlands.
In March 2021, a court in Aruba sentenced the Montenegrin nationals to prison terms ranging from nine to 15 years.
EUROPOL later linked the cocaine seized in Aruba to Serbian national Miroslav Starčević, who was arrested in May 2023 along with 12 other suspects. Serbian authorities charged them with international drug trafficking.
As confirmed to RFE/RL by the Belgrade High Court, the trial against this group is nearing its conclusion.
Serbian police described Starčević as the leader of “the largest criminal organization for drug trafficking originating from the Balkans,” uncovered with EUROPOL’s assistance.
According to police, the cartel led by Starčević was behind multi-ton cocaine shipments that reached Europe from Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, and via West Africa.
GI-TOC reports link Starčević’s group to the Kavač clan, a criminal organization originating from Montenegro.
The Kavač and Škaljari clans—both Montenegrin—are heavily armed rival groups. Since their conflict began in 2014, more than 60 people have been killed.
No response from Serbian and Montenegrin authorities
It remains unclear whether, and to what extent, criminal groups whose members originate from Serbia and Montenegro are still involved in cocaine trafficking linked to Venezuela.
By the time of publication, neither Serbia’s nor Montenegro’s Interior Ministry had responded to questions on this issue.
EUROPOL told RFE/RL briefly that it does not cooperate directly with Venezuela, meaning data on Balkan criminal involvement is obtained indirectly, through national police forces.
International agencies such as EUROPOL and INTERPOL continue to describe criminal groups from the Western Balkans as key players in cocaine trafficking from Latin America, primarily toward Western Europe.
According to GI-TOC reports, these groups have built their position over decades, mainly through direct ties with cocaine-producing countries and distributors.
What makes Venezuela distinctive?
What makes Venezuela particularly attractive, says Đorđević, is the extensive use of maritime and air transport for cocaine shipments.
“These are small aircraft, which are far less controlled and monitored than commercial flights,” he explained.
Although cocaine is not produced in Venezuela, reports by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) identify the country as one of the main transit states for cocaine produced primarily in Colombia and then distributed to the United States and Europe.
Strong indications that parts of the Venezuelan state apparatus are involved in criminal activity come from the Global Organized Crime Index, which ranks Venezuela among the top 10 percent worldwide for the influence of criminal actors within the country.
The index is published annually by GI-TOC, a Geneva-based non-governmental organization.
In its latest report, released in November 2025, GI-TOC states that Colombian guerrilla groups “manage supply chains in cooperation with corrupt Venezuelan officials.”
“These groups have integrated themselves into local communities, often manipulating young people into working for them under the guise of legitimate employment, and have taken control of local justice systems and governance structures,” the report says.
It adds that the symbiotic relationship between Colombian guerrilla groups and Venezuelan state officials has facilitated their operations, resulting in “minimal violence but significant control over border regions.”
