If over time they managed to take over almost all the businesses that exist in Serbia and put under their control the largest part of public spending, so that companies and firms under the management of party officials use public funds - either through subsidies or through public works (for which more than five billion euros will be spent this year alone) - it seems that the progressives have taken a step further: they have expanded their business to the cultivation of narcotics and the subsequent trade in them. So, to the most lucrative and risky jobs.
Already in the distant year 2019, Serbia "smoked" from the "Jovanjica" case, when it seemed that something unimaginable had happened until then: the Belgrade police for the fight against drugs arrested the owners and organizers of the production of skunk - a drug obtained from marijuana, i.e. cannabis - who were directly connected "to the state".
The "Jovanjica" case, from which much was expected, became over the years a symbol of the judiciary's unsuccessful fight against organized crime, but also the tendency of the ruling party and its leaders to trivialize and relativize what is serious crime in every "normal" society. Instead of proof that such cases will not be tolerated in Serbia, "Jovanjica" has become an example of how big cases drag on and remain without a clear outcome.
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WHERE THERE IS SMOKE, THERE IS ALSO BATE GAŠIĆ
The story of the connection between people from the regime and those involved in the production, distribution and sale of narcotics was renewed again two weeks ago, when the public almost shyly heard about the biggest seizure of drugs in one place so far. It has already been discussed, but it is worth repeating: in the village of Konjuh near Kruševac, the Serbian police seized almost five tons of cannabis from the property of a person directly connected to the ruling party.
As in the case of "Jovanjica", this time too suspicion fell on Bratislava Gašić - a progressive magnate, one of the richest members of the party and, interestingly, the only "surviving" founder of the party that broke away from Seselj's radicals in 2008. Bratislav Gašić is currently the Minister of Defense, a position he held for ten years before he was promoted to the position of director of the Security and Information Agency. From the head of the BIA, he oversaw the "Jovanjica" case.
At the long-term trial of the group led by Predrag Koluvija - today more of a pop icon than a drug producer - some witnesses mentioned Gašić as one of the targets of the police action. It was obvious that the security services - both the BIA and the military services - were well aware of what was happening on the agricultural farm "Jovanjica", about forty kilometers from Belgrade.
There was a suspicion, which is still being proven in court, that parts of this "deep state" were involved in the cultivation, sale and distribution of drugs. As the years passed, and then Aleksandar Vučić's statement appeared that "it is not, in fact, a drug", the case dragged on like smoke from a pipe and began to be lost in the mists of politics and justice.
Two weeks ago, a new twist occurred. The smoke from the pipe, this time filled with marijuana, once again spread throughout Serbia, and then hung thickly over neighboring North Macedonia. The Serbian police seized about five tons of drugs, while the Macedonian authorities seized more than 40 tons of marijuana in factories and plantations that are in various ways connected to people from Serbia, especially those mentioned in the statement of the Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime from January 31 of this year.
"UNCLE RADHE IS ON HIS OWN HANDS"
In that statement, it is stated that the public prosecutor for organized crime issued an order to conduct an investigation against Aleksandar Mijajlović, Nebojša and Rade Spasojević, Ivan Dragnić and Uroš Mladenovski, for the criminal offense of unauthorized production and distribution of narcotic drugs. It is a record seizure of marijuana, in an amount greater than 5.002 kilograms, which is why detention was proposed for all legal reasons, including disturbing the public. As the suspect Aleksandar Mijajlović, identified as the organizer of a criminal group, is on the run, it was proposed to issue a warrant, including an international one. The investigation indicates that the group operated on an international scale, procuring drugs in North Macedonia and then transporting and storing them in Serbia. It is particularly indicative that Ivan Dragnić is a co-owner of the company "Alphapharm" from Skopje, registered for the production and processing of medical cannabis.
Additional details were published by BIRN, stating that the drug was transported to facilities in the village of Konjuh near Kruševac, owned by Radet and Nebojša Spasojević, from where it was further distributed towards Belgrade. According to the prosecution, on January 24, 2026, Uroš Mladenovski took over 97 kilograms of marijuana and transported it to Novi Belgrade, while on January 29, the police in Konjuh found the remaining more than 4.900 kilograms. In total, more than five tons of cannabis with a THC content significantly higher than the legally permitted 0,3 percent were seized.
As of Tuesday, January 10, no arrests were made in the actions of the Macedonian police, which led to unprecedented seizures of marijuana on a European scale.
Unlike "Jovanjica" and other seizures, the public found out about this one from Konjuh almost immediately. Almost at the same time, Minister Gašić, who is also the SNS coordinator for the Rasin district, but also connected with the Spasojević family from Konjuh - they are his local confidants - also spoke out. That is why it is difficult to explain how no one knew what they were doing and that "Uncle Rade worked" on his own.
THEY ARE KICKING US., WE HAVE A SINGER FOR THEM
The police, who normally fill the black chronicle with announcements about the seizure of 100 grams of marijuana or five grams of cocaine, now behave unusually reserved and do not insist too much on the incredible seizure. Simple - as if someone is sorry that all this happened. If there is no connection with the people who lead the police and with the top of the SNS, it would be most logical for the investigation to proceed quickly, the case to be brought before the court in a short period of time and for the public to receive a clear answer as to how it is possible that a distribution center for tons of drugs was formed under the nose of the former head of the BIA, and that he and his party associates allegedly knew nothing about it.
Instead, the case is buried in the Serbian public with other topics. Belgrade suddenly found itself "under bombardment" by groups attacking SNS bars, throwing explosive devices and racketeering. And as someone ironically remarked, "Macedonians seized almost 50 tons of skunk from us, and we confiscated from them the singer Daniel Kajmakoski" - an artist who was kidnapped in the exclusive area of the Concrete Hall, with a demand for ransom. All those bombs, the attack on Zdravko Čolić's house and the kidnapping of the Macedonian singer, were quickly resolved by the Belgrade criminal police, according to their own reports. What is talked about much less, however, is who is powerful enough to organize the transport and distribution of tons and tons of skunk through Serbia.
As in other similar cases, perhaps only additional public and media interest will lead to all the answers. And maybe some of them will arrive from the south as well - if the Macedonian prosecution really tries.
Global drug use
UNODC Report 2025.
It is estimated that in 2023, 316 million people used an illegal drug (excluding alcohol and tobacco), which is about six percent of the world's adult population (15–64). This represents growth compared to previous decades.
Cannabis remains by far the most widely used illegal drug in the world - with ≈244 million users in 2023, making it the most widely used narcotic globally. The trend of cannabis use is consistently high, indicating that global demand is constant and widespread. Cannabis is still considered the main "gateway" or dominant substance in many regions, including Europe.
After cannabis, they follow:
• Opioids – ~61 million users
• Amphetamines and similar stimulants – ~30,7 millions
• Cocaine – ~25 millions
• "Ecstasy"(MDMA) – ~21 million users
