Montenegro deputy PM says crime no longer protected by state

Abazovic told Monday’s issue of Nova daily that criminals no longer enjoy protection regardless of whether they are drug and cigarette traffickers or what he called trans-national crime clans.

“It’s clear that it (crime) could not go ahead without the participation or silent support of the state or para-state apparatus. International institutions believe that 20 percent of the illegally imported cigarettes in the European Union and Great Britain come from Montenegro. Future operations against international smuggling will show who is behind this,” Abazovic said.