Tobacco Mafia, assassinations cases take new turn?

Serbia's public prosecutor has provided two key witnesses in the investigation of the so-called Tobacco Mafia, a Belgrade daily reports. Blic newspaper writes today that the first witness is going to present new evidence against Stanko Subotic, aka Cane, who is accused of cigarette smuggling. Tobacco Mafia, assassinations cases take new turn? The other should provide information which would lead to the persons responsible for ordering and executing the murders of MUP Gen. Radovan Stojicic Badza and Minister of Defense of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Pavle Bulatovic. The key witness was provided by means of international cooperation in the region and should give the prosecutor’s office solid evidence, which would incriminate Subotic as a cigarette smuggler, according to this article. It is also stated that the witness is currently abroad. The authorities have already spoken to him, but the official hearing should take place in the next few days. The other witness’ testimony could put an end to current speculations on who ordered the killings of Bulatovic and Stojicic. He is also in contact with the prosecutor’s office and he has already been interviewed, states the source close to the Ministry of Justice. This witness gave enough information which could lead to those who had ordered the murders, says the newspaper. He also allegedly provided the names of the two shooters – two Montenegrin nationals "who are well known as hit men for the Montenegrin mafia". An international warrant for the arrest of one of the two suspects was issued five years ago by the Serbian judiciary, "but he has been hiding in Montenegro all along without any problems", writes Blic. The second suspect is also known to the police. There was never enough evidence to issue an arrest warrant, even though he had been linked to several crimes in Serbia, according to this report. Bulatovic was shot dead in a Belgrade restaurant in February 2000; Stojcic met the same fate in 1997.

Tobacco Mafia, assassinations cases take new turn?

The other should provide information which would lead to the persons responsible for ordering and executing the murders of MUP Gen. Radovan Stojičić Badža and Minister of Defense of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Pavle Bulatović.

The key witness was provided by means of international cooperation in the region

and should give the prosecutor’s office solid evidence, which would incriminate Subotić as a cigarette smuggler, according to this article.

It is also stated that the witness is currently abroad. The authorities have already spoken to him, but the official hearing should take place in the next few days.

The other witness’ testimony could put an end to current speculations on who ordered the killings of Bulatović and Stojičić. He is also in contact with the prosecutor’s office and he has already been interviewed, states the source close to the Ministry of Justice.

This witness gave enough information which could lead to those who had ordered the murders, says the newspaper. He also allegedly provided the names of the two shooters – two Montenegrin nationals "who are well known as hit men for the Montenegrin mafia".

An international warrant for the arrest of one of the two suspects was issued five years ago by the Serbian judiciary, "but he has been hiding in Montenegro all along without any problems", writes Blic.

The second suspect is also known to the police. There was never enough evidence to issue an arrest warrant, even though he had been linked to several crimes in Serbia, according to this report.

Bulatović was shot dead in a Belgrade restaurant in February 2000; Stojčić met the same fate in 1997.