Crackdown on Gangs:

Luxury Cars Seized, Killer Extradited

The armored Mercedes (right) belonging to “Most Wanted” Radoje Zvicer (pictured) is now in police custody. The assassination attempt against his “clan brothers” in Vienna (left) made headlines in 2018.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Polizeidirektion Montenegro, REUTERS/LEONHARD FOEGER)

Two rival mafia gangs have left a trail of blood across Europe all the way to Austria. Now investigators have struck a double blow! One crime boss lost his “luxury toys,” including a bulletproof Mercedes SUV designed to withstand assassination attempts. And the Viennese “Christmas hitman,” believed to be a member of the rival clan, was extradited from Italy.

The first police success targets the boss of the notorious Montenegrin “Kavac clan.” He is said to be responsible for smuggling tons of drugs from South America to Europe. At least 85 kilograms of cocaine are also believed to have ended up in Austria. As a result, the 43-year-old has been on our “Most Wanted” list for more than three years.

The Austrian Federal Criminal Police Office is offering a reward of 20,000 euros for information leading to the arrest of the fugitive Radoje Zvicer. The suspect has 15 aliases or fake identities.

Godfather and Wife Lose “Luxury Toys”
But the noose is apparently slowly tightening. Police authorities in his home country are now targeting the “luxury toys” belonging to the fugitive crime boss and his wife, Tamara. There is suspicion that these were financed through criminal activities. In any case, several luxury cars with a total value of 1.5 million euros were seized in Switzerland—where he is in exile—during searches of various villas and garages.

Investigators also seized this highly modified “Brabus.”(Bild: Polizeidirektion Montenegro)

Among the seized vehicles, a Mercedes G 500 SUV—heavily armored to withstand gunfire—stands out in particular.

From best friends to pretty much the worst enemies
The “Kavac” boss has been waging a bloody war for years against another Montenegrin mafia gang, the “Škaljari Clan.” Best friends turned into bitter enemies. The feud between the two clans, which were once founded in the coastal city of Kotor, stems from the theft of a shipment of 200 kilograms of narcotics. This breach of trust has left a trail of blood across Europe for years, resulting in countless contract killings.

Ten shots ring out through the heart of Vienna
A spectacular assassination also takes place in the heart of Vienna. And the case is now finally on the verge of being solved. It is the long-overdue reckoning for a spectacular assassination attempt three days before Christmas Eve 2018, in broad daylight in the city center.

As two mafiosi from the “Kavac Clan” walk through a dark passageway after lunch at a restaurant popular with tourists, at least ten shots ring out. Panic breaks out. A man who was 32 at the time was literally executed with seven shots to the head and upper body. His younger companion narrowly survived the attack.

The mafia’s long arm reaches all the way into prison
The hitman is believed to be a member of the rival “Škaljari clan.” Nearly eight years later, he is now awaiting trial in an Austrian prison. Officially, however, the Austrian security authorities do not wish to confirm the extradition from Italy: “No comment,” is the response from the Federal Criminal Police Office, for example. Because even behind bars, life is dangerous: the Mafia’s reach is long...

The Mafia assassination in the heart of Vienna made headlines around the world.(Bild: Reinhard Holl)

“Geist” Arrested Before Facial Surgery
Even the backstory leading up to the arrest of the 32-year-old Montenegrin on suspicion of murder in the Italian seaside resort of Rimini this past summer is straight out of a movie. On the Adriatic coast, Mili Bajrmović—nicknamed “Smrt,” who had already been sentenced to 40 years in prison in his home country for another homicide—planned to undergo facial surgery.

From the outside, the apartment appeared deserted; only the electricity usage stood out. The man, who moved like a ghost, was exposed when he briefly pulled back the curtain.

Ein Zielfahnder über die Festnahme in Rimini

The persistence of the local investigators and what turned out to be a minor mistake proved to be his undoing. As reported, he briefly pulled aside the curtain of his hiding place, thereby revealing his unaltered appearance. During the arrest, cash, a passport, and six cell phones were found. He now faces life in prison.

“Christmas Hitman” Now Faces Life Imprisonment
The persistence of the local investigators and what turned out to be a minor mistake ultimately sealed his fate. As reported, he briefly pulled aside the curtain of his hiding place, thereby revealing his unaltered appearance. During the raid, cash, a passport, and six cell phones were found. He now faces life in prison.