Prosecutors expand probe after two convictions in five-ton marijuana smuggling case
Prosecutors say new evidence and co-operation with Serbian authorities revealed a wider network; seven more people are under investigation.
Two people have already been convicted in relation to the smuggling of five tonnes of marijuana into Serbia, and the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office for Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption has now expanded the investigation by issuing a new order to open an inquiry against seven additional suspects.
The prosecutor's office said that gathered evidence and international cooperation with Serbian authorities revealed a broader network involved in trafficking marijuana from North Macedonia to Serbia. The new suspects face charges of unauthorized production and placing on the market of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors as part of an organised criminal group.
According to the probe, which began in February, the criminal activity took place from 2025 until the end of January 2026. Investigators say that the network included six suspects in Serbia, six suspects identified in the initial Macedonian investigation, the seven newly indicted people and other as-yet unnamed participants who organised the purchase, transport and sale of the drugs.
Company used as a front, owners implicated
As a legal cover for the operation, the suspects allegedly used a Skopje-registered legal entity that holds a licence to cultivate cannabis for medical purposes and a permit to produce extracts. The company's owners, one of whom served as the manager, are accused of organising cross-border transfers of the narcotics.
The expansion of the inquiry follows joint investigative steps with Serbian counterparts and new evidence collected after the initial proceedings. Prosecutors say the broader scope aims to identify all participants in the supply chain and to secure legal measures against those who organised the smuggling and distribution.
Photo: MVR na Srbija
