A Serbian man sustained a gunshot wound in Lloret de Mar on Friday night, prompting Catalan police to investigate a possible connection to the violent conflict between Montenegrin criminal clans. The 49-year-old victim arrived at Hospital Comarcal de Blanes around 22:00 with a leg injury. Medical staff activated standard firearm incident protocols and alerted the Mossos d'Esquadra.
The Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia's police force, are treating the incident as a new episode in the ongoing war between the Škaljari and Kavač clans from Kotor, Montenegro. These groups have a long-standing dispute across Europe over drug trafficking control. Lloret de Mar, a popular tourist destination on the Costa Brava, is now a focus of this investigation.
Sources close to the investigation report the victim has not provided details about the shooting or the assailant. Investigators from the Divisió d'Investigació Criminal (DIC) of Girona are working to determine the exact location of the shooting. They are also collecting witness testimonies and security camera footage to reconstruct the events.
Organised Crime in Catalonia
Police suspect the injured man may have ties to the Škaljari clan. If confirmed, this would show the conflict between these organisations remains active in Catalonia. The presence of such violent international criminal groups raises significant safety concerns for residents and tourists in areas like Lloret de Mar.
Gunmen shot dead a man linked to these organisations in the Diagonal Mar area of Barcelona just weeks ago. This incident occurred in a busy residential and commercial district. Police have made no arrests in that case. Police have not solved two other related crimes in Barcelona and Castelldefels. These unsolved cases add to public concern about organised crime.
The Mossos d'Esquadra have repeatedly warned about the increasing presence of highly violent foreign criminal groups. These groups possess significant economic and logistical capabilities, posing a serious challenge to law enforcement. Comissari Ramón Chacón, head of the Comissaria General d'Investigació Criminal (CGIC), recently called for more tools and international cooperation. He also requested easier access to European police databases to combat these organisations effectively.
Regional Safety Concerns
This latest shooting occurred after a particularly difficult week in Catalonia that saw multiple stabbings and other serious firearm incidents. One recent case involved another shooting in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, linked to Dominican Latin gangs. L'Hospitalet de Llobregat is a large city in the Barcelona metropolitan area, home to over 260,000 residents. These incidents highlight a broader trend of increasing street violence.
The police continue their efforts to gather evidence and identify those responsible for the Lloret de Mar shooting. They aim to bring clarity to this incident and address the broader issue of organised crime. Authorities are working to ensure the safety of communities across Catalonia.
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Originally published by El Caso (El Nacional). Read original article.
