Montenegrin police are conducting a large-scale investigation into more than 50 foreign nationals, most of whom are Ukrainian citizens, who were found in a rented house in the Mareza district of Podgorica together with hundreds of digital devices, specialised equipment and a significant amount of cash, the Serbian Economist Telegram channel reports.
This was reported by the Police Directorate of Montenegro. In addition to Ukrainian citizens, Moldovan and Slovak citizens were among those present in the house.
The operation was conducted on 10 August after law enforcement officers had located and identified the premises in advance. Police seized equipment and other materials that may be relevant to the investigation.
According to the police, several hundred digital devices and items of specialised equipment were found in the building. The amount of equipment seized was so large that a lorry was required to remove it. In addition, a significant amount of money was found, the origin of which is also being investigated.
The police are establishing the grounds for the foreigners’ stay and employment in Montenegro, the nature of their activities and movements, as well as the purpose of the digital equipment discovered. The group’s possible connection to illegal activities is being investigated separately.
The Montenegrin publication Vijesti, citing preliminary investigation data, reported that the group’s possible involvement in online fraud is among the theories under consideration.
The director of the Montenegrin police formed a special operational group to conduct the investigation. It includes specialists in cybersecurity and high-tech crime, financial investigations and money laundering, international police cooperation, as well as matters involving foreigners and migration. Montenegro’s National Security Agency has also joined the investigation, which is being coordinated with the prosecutor’s office.
The police stressed that, due to the complexity of the investigation, they cannot disclose additional details at this stage. After the initial investigative and expert procedures have been completed, the authorities have promised to announce the results of the inquiry.
The governmental emergency response team of Ukraine CERT-UA, operating under the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection, warns of the intensification of online fraud using the topic of “monetary compensation”,
“A number of fraudulent pages have been discovered on the Facebook social network, containing a link to the so-called “Unified Compensation Center for the Return of Unpaid Funds,” the State Special Communications Service reports.
According to the message, this resource offers to provide personal information and make an additional payment. If these requirements are met, the payment card data will be compromised.
