A Serbian man, identified as Krsto Vujić, a prominent member of the Skaljari organised crime clan, sustained serious injuries on Tuesday afternoon after gunmen shot him. The incident occurred just before 16:00 while Vujić sat on a bar terrace in Barcelona's Sant Martí district. The Mossos d'Esquadra are investigating the shooting, which took place at Kibo bar on Paseo Taulat, near the bustling Diagonal Mar shopping centre, as a suspected "settling of scores" between rival Balkan mafias.
Wanted for Drug Trafficking
Vujić, known by the alias 'Terminator', remains hospitalised following the attack. Montenegrin authorities actively seek him for drug trafficking and membership in a criminal organisation. Prosecutors in Montenegro accuse Vujić, alongside eleven other individuals, of transporting a staggering 5.6 tonnes of cocaine. Serbian media widely reported these charges. The owner of the Kibo bar, Nenad Vincic, is also of Serbian origin and has known links to a Balkan criminal clan, ABC learned.
Bar Owner's Criminal Past
Guardia Civil officers arrested Vincic in Barcelona in 2018 for trafficking cocaine and heroin. He maintained significant ties with Galician drug traffickers. At the time of his arrest, authorities identified Vincic as the Balkan clan's key representative in Southern Europe. He had previously travelled to Colombia to establish direct contact with drug suppliers. Vincic then settled in Barcelona to manage cocaine shipments across the European continent. The Mossos d'Esquadra are currently investigating whether Vujić had any direct connection to Vincic or if the shooting was an unrelated event. However, investigators have consistently hypothesised that the incident represents another "settling of scores" among Balkan mafias operating in the Catalan capital.
Escalating Mafia Violence
This shooting marks the latest in a series of violent incidents involving Balkan organised crime groups in Barcelona. Last July, gunmen executed Filip Knežević, a 36-year-old Serbian mafioso linked to the rival Kavak clan, in the city centre. Knežević faced an international arrest warrant from Greek prosecutors for his alleged involvement in the 2020 murders of two Skaljari clan leaders on the Greek island of Corfu. This execution highlighted the professional nature of the crime, strongly suggesting a "settling of scores" between Serbian and Montenegrin drug trafficking gangs.
Previous Barcelona Shootings
Just days after Knežević's execution, on 2 August last year, another Serbian man, Predrag Vujošević, was shot and injured in Calle Urgell, central Barcelona. The incident occurred around 22:30. Vujošević, also linked to the Skaljari clan and with a history of drug trafficking, received several gunshots. He was treated at Hospital Clínic, where doctors stabilised his condition. Investigators at the time also suspected this shooting to be a "settling of scores". Vujošević, alias Marko, was a historical leader of the 'Pink Panthers' gang, notorious for high-value jewellery robberies, including one in Barcelona in 2014. Police arrested him in the Canary Islands in 2020 for trafficking 408 kilograms of cocaine, linking him to the Skaljari clan.
Balkan Clan Presence in Catalonia
The feud between rival Balkan clans, which has tragically resulted in dozens of deaths across Europe, originated in 2014. This followed the significant seizure of a cocaine shipment in Valencia port. The presence of these organised crime groups in Barcelona is not new to Spanish law enforcement agencies. In October 2023, National Police officers arrested Nikola Vusovic, known as 'Johnny de Vracar' or 'Johnny the Madman', a leader of the Kavac clan, in central Barcelona. Serbian authorities sought Vusovic for homicide, and he had been a fugitive since 2022.
International Arrests in Barcelona
Investigators also arrested Vusovic's lieutenant in Barcelona. This individual faced charges for homicide in Serbia, kidnapping in Austria, and assault in Spain, with a potential 40-year prison sentence. He had been on the run since March 2020 after participating in the execution of a rival clan member. Police found the victim's body a month later near Sopot, Serbia, with a gunshot wound. The recent shooting of Krsto Vujić occurred in a public place, with other customers present. A woman, possibly Vujić's partner, and one of his children were seated with him. Emergency services treated another customer for a minor abrasion. Witnesses reported seeing two or three masked men fleeing the scene and discarding an object in nearby bushes. Police searched the area but did not recover a weapon.
Ongoing Investigation and Public Safety
As the Mossos d'Esquadra continue their investigation, authorities aim to confirm the precise motive behind this latest act of violence. The recurring nature of these incidents underscores Barcelona's role as a significant operational base for international organised crime groups. This ongoing presence impacts public safety and the city's international reputation, raising concerns for residents and tourists alike. The police investigation will determine the full extent of the connections between the individuals involved and the broader implications for organised crime in Catalonia.
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Originally published by ABC Cataluña. Read original article.
