Neighbors in the Mareza district (Mareza district) of Podgorica saw young people for months arriving in expensive cars to a large house behind a high wall. It looked like a rented office or co-living space for IT workers. In fact, inside, according to the investigation, an illegal “company” (company) was operating, and on the night of August 11, Montenegrin police entered. More than 50 foreigners were found in the house, mostly citizens of Ukraine, as well as citizens of Moldova and Slovakia.
What was seized and who was arrested
The scale of the operation is clear from the list of confiscated items published by Radio Bijelo Polje:
more than 100 computers and computer equipment units: a truck was needed to remove them;
82 mobile phones, some with crypto protection, and 217 SIM cards;
GPS trackers, a drone, and one vehicle;
more than 50,000 euros in cash.
As of August 13, nine people have been arrested. The main suspect, 28-year-old Ukrainian citizen Viktoriya Vovk, is suspected of illegal entrepreneurial, banking, stock exchange, and insurance activities. According to the prosecutor's office, she hired dozens of citizens of Ukraine, Moldova, and Slovakia and paid them cash salaries, which violates Montenegro's labor and financial laws, writes Vijesti.
Eight other detainees—two Slovaks, two Moldovans, and four Ukrainians—were arrested for violating the law on foreigners (law on foreigners), meaning illegal stay in the country. Among those found in the house was a 17-year-old girl without a registered residence. She was temporarily placed with a foster family.
What exactly the “company” (company) was doing
Officially, the investigation is silent on this. Unofficially, local media wrote about possible thefts from bank accounts, but the police did not confirm this version. The director of the Montenegrin Police Directorate, Lazar Šćepanović, formed a special operational group including experts in cybersecurity, high-tech crimes, financial investigations, and money laundering, reports ETV. The composition of this group hints at how investigators assess the scale of the case. Details are not yet disclosed to avoid harming the investigation.
Among the detainees are citizens of Slovakia, and most of those found in the house are Ukrainians. The “job vacancy” scheme in such cases is almost always the same: they promise legal office work abroad, housing, and cash payment, but upon arrival, it turns out there is no work permit or legal status, and the person automatically becomes a violator of migration law. This usually means arrest, trial, and subsequent deportation with a ban on entry.
So the basic safety rules here are simple: no work abroad without an official work permit, no “envelope” salaries from unknown employers, and no “offices” in private houses behind high walls. If you find yourself in a difficult situation abroad, contact the nearest Ukrainian consulate. The Embassy of Ukraine in Montenegro has already stated that it is in contact with local authorities and provides consular assistance to detained citizens.
