Catalonia has emerged as a significant logistical hub and refuge for Balkan organised crime groups, according to Spanish police. The region's strategic location, with active ports and fast transport links to the rest of Europe, makes it ideal for drug trafficking, their main activity. It also offers a place for members to hide, blending into the area's popular tourist and migration flows.
This presence has led to a surge in violent incidents. On 14 April, Krsto Vujic, a 44-year-old member of the Skaljari clan, was shot multiple times in Barcelona's Passeig Taulat in broad daylight and died days later. This incident is part of an ongoing, brutal feud between the Montenegrin Skaljari and Kavac clans, which has resulted in over 70 deaths across Europe since 2014, according to security forces. In Catalonia alone, there have been three executions and two attempted killings linked to this rivalry in less than a year.
Carlos Gil, deputy head of the National Police's Provincial Judicial Police Brigade in Catalonia, explained that the conflict began in 2014 after a cocaine shipment was stolen at Valencia port. "It was supposed to be a joint shipment, and they accused each other of stealing the goods," Gil told ABC. "From there, the enmity was born." Before this, both groups were part of the Kotor clan, named after their Montenegrin origin.
Catalonia's Strategic Role in Drug Trafficking
Catalonia's appeal to these groups extends beyond its transport infrastructure. Inspector Gil noted that the region's climate and a perceived sense of security, unlike their home country, also play a part. Police first detected these groups in Catalonia through their involvement in drug trafficking, initially cocaine, then expanding into marijuana cultivation. Catalonia has become a major producer, with the cannabis then exported to other European territories where its value can triple.
Gil explained that while Albanian individuals initially worked as 'gardeners' on these plantations, the operations were often controlled by Serbian-Montenegrin groups. Now, these groups might be operating more independently, a trend analysts are monitoring. The initial detection of these activities showed Catalonia as a strategic location, with police observing contacts between Kavac and Skaljari members, many of whom were fugitives hiding in the region, and other Serbian-Montenegrin individuals.
These connections were primarily for buying and transporting cocaine from Latin America, with stops at Spanish ports like Algeciras, Valencia, and Barcelona, before moving to their final destinations. This often involves alliances with other criminal organisations, similar to the links between the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta mafia and drug groups in Colombia and Brazil, Gil added.
Extreme Violence and Infiltration
The Montenegrin clans, much like the Mocro Maffia, are known for their extreme violence, including shootings, car bombs, and torture. José Luis Gil Valero, an analyst specialising in transnational organised crime from the Balkans, explained that while violence is generally bad for business, these public killings serve a specific purpose. "When they kill in broad daylight, it is to send a message: 'We are still hunting you,'" he told ABC. He recalled an instance where a clan member was executed by a sniper in a prison yard.
In their home country, these groups have infiltrated state power structures, including judges, politicians, and police. This infiltration helps them secure impunity and control territory, making Montenegrin authorities cautious about sharing information with other bodies via Interpol, due to fears of leaks. Seeking safety and escaping rival organisations is another reason these criminals leave the Balkans for other parts of Europe, including Spain.
Escalating Incidents in Catalonia
The conflict between Montenegrin organised crime groups in Catalonia was first noted in 2020. Members of the Kavak clan kidnapped Jovan Jovanovic, a Skaljari member. Shortly after, another individual sent by Kavak to locate Jovanovic disappeared in Barcelona. Jovanovic was reportedly killed after being tortured.
In July last year, Filip Knežević, linked to Kavak, was shot dead as he entered his building on Consell de Cent in central Barcelona. Knežević had an arrest warrant for the murder of two rival clan leaders in Corfu, Greece, in 2020. Inspector Gil revealed that one of these leaders, Alan Kozar, had previously been tracked in Barcelona. Days after Knežević's killing, Predrag Vujoševi, associated with the Skaljari clan, was wounded by gunfire. Vujoševi had previously led the Pink Panthers, a notorious jewellery theft gang, and was later arrested in the Canary Islands for cocaine trafficking linked to the Balkan organisations.
The violence continued in December, with another Montenegrin man shot dead in Castelldefels, Barcelona, in broad daylight. This was followed by the fatal attack on Vujic in April, and a recent shooting in Lloret de Mar, Girona, also suspected to be a Kavac-Skaljari feud. Investigations into these incidents, led by the Mossos d'Esquadra, remain under secrecy. Reliable sources confirm that all attacks involved handguns, and the perpetrators have not yet been found. The ongoing investigations aim to identify those responsible and understand the full extent of these groups' operations in Catalonia.
