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A Swiss citizen remains in custody in Montenegro for the time being. The authorities accuse him of smuggling luxury goods worth several hundred thousand euros into the country.
June 10, 2026, 6:23 p.mJune 10, 2026, 6:23 p.m
The Supreme Court of Montenegro has extended the Swiss citizen’s pre-trial detention for another three months. As the court announced, there is still suspicion of smuggling.
The man had already been checked at Tivat Airport on March 13 upon his arrival from Istanbul. Although he had told customs authorities that he had nothing to declare, officials found numerous luxury items during a detailed inspection.
Rolex, Patek Philippe and Cartier
According to the court, watches from the brands Rolex and Patek Philippe as well as jewelry from Bvlgari, Cartier and Chopard were seized. There were also luxury clothing and shoes from Stefano Ricci, Loro Piana and Louis Vuitton as well as several high-quality handbags.
The authorities also confiscated around 27,000 euros and almost 3,900 Turkish lira.
The investigators want to determine the exact value of the confiscated items in the further proceedings.
Danger of escape feared
The judges justified the extension of the detention with, among other things, the risk of absconding and the risk of further crimes. They referred to the accused’s international network as well as information from international police cooperation.
Cicurel is said to have been convicted abroad before or to have been involved in other proceedings. The authorities did not provide any further information.
The pre-trial detention will now last until at least September 13th. It is still unclear whether and when charges will be brought. (mke)