Montenegrin held in Damascus for smuggling arms and drugs

Montenegrin held in Damascus for smuggling arms and drugs

PODGORICA -- A 37-year-old man from Berane in northeastern Montenegro was arrested in Damascus, Syria, on suspicion that he was smuggling drugs and weapons.

The Syrian police found 6.2 kilograms of heroin, 23 kilograms of tetryl explosives and 137 triggers used in explosive devices in Ivan Popovic's possession when he was detained, the Podgorica-based daily Dan is reporting.

Popovic was planning to smuggle these items to the rebels, "the Free Syrian Army."

The Syrian authorities kept Popovic and a number of other smugglers under surveillance before arresting them, the newspaper said, adding this was confirmed by several sources.

Popovic was arrested in a Mercedes van with fake Montenegrin license plates, and will be put on trial in Damascus for aiding rebels in the Syrian war.

The newspaper noted that a debate is scheduled to take place in the Montenegrin assembly in March about introducing changes to the Criminal Code that would allow for imprisonment of those Montenegrin citizens who take part in wars abroad.