Serbian footballer linked to €70m Portugal drug seizure

A former Serbian footballer has been arrested in Portugal after allegedly being caught driving a van carrying about 1.5 tonnes of cocaine and firearms, in a major operation targeting organised crime.

Serbian media reported on Friday that 37-year-old Uros Milosevic was detained during the security operation, in which the total value of the seized drugs was estimated at about €70m.

The cocaine is believed to have belonged to the so-called “Balkan Cartel”, a criminal organisation reported to be highly active in Portugal and Spain. Investigators believe Milosevic was part of a cell connected to the organisation and involved in trafficking between the two countries.

Portuguese media said Milosevic is being held in pre-trial detention at a facility attached to the headquarters of the Policia Judiciaria in Lisbon. He is awaiting the completion of the investigation and the related judicial proceedings.

Milosevic’s arrest formed part of a joint operation carried out last week by the Policia Judiciaria in Portugal and the Policia Nacional in Spain. The operation was aimed at dismantling a cell linked to the Balkan Cartel.

Two other Serbian nationals were arrested in Spain during the same operation, while authorities seized a total of 3.7 tonnes of drugs.

Milosevic had previously played for several Serbian clubs, including Cukaricki U19, FK Rakovica, FK Teleoptik, FK Sinđelic Beograd, FK Zarkovo and FK Umka. He had been listed as without a club before his arrest.

A post circulating on social media described him as a right-back and listed his previous teams, ending with the words: “Today he is without a club. Or is he not.”

His alleged involvement in the investigation marks a dramatic departure from his football career. Serbian reports said the former player was detained while transporting the drugs, alongside the firearms, in a van in Portugal.

The case is being investigated by authorities in both Portugal and Spain as part of efforts to break up the trafficking network operating across the Iberian Peninsula. No further details about the charges or the next stage of the proceedings were provided in the reports.

The story was also being discussed on the Kooora forums, where readers were invited to debate the latest developments in greater depth.