Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SKOPJE900
2006-09-25 13:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Skopje
Cable title:  

MACEDONIA: SUCCESSFUL CONVICTION IN ORGANIZED

Tags:  PGOV PREL MK 
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FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5191
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 1680
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 1955
RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0193
RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 5016
RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA 3454
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 2281
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA 4156
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2082
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3631
RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
UNCLAS SKOPJE 000900 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, DOJ/OPDAT FOR CARL ALEXANDRE, DOJ/ICITAP
FOR JOSEPH JONES, CARR TREVILLIAN, AND JEFFREY THOMAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: SUCCESSFUL CONVICTION IN ORGANIZED
CRIME TRIAL


UNCLAS SKOPJE 000900

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, DOJ/OPDAT FOR CARL ALEXANDRE, DOJ/ICITAP
FOR JOSEPH JONES, CARR TREVILLIAN, AND JEFFREY THOMAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: SUCCESSFUL CONVICTION IN ORGANIZED
CRIME TRIAL



1. (U) On September 14, a Macedonian court convicted four
defendants from an international organized crime ring on drug
smuggling charges. The trial was presided over by a chamber
of five judges, including two professional judges, one of
whom is the chief presiding judge, and three "lay judges,"
similar to jurors in the U.S. The court passed down prison
sentences for all four defendants; two Macedonian nationals
received five-year prison sentences, and one Macedonian and
one Greek national each received eight-year prison sentences.
The four defendants will remain incarcerated while their
convictions are reviewed by an appellate court.


2. (U) The convictions were the successful culmination of an
international inter-agency effort. Participants in that
effort included the Ministry of Interior (MOI) Department for
Organized Crime Drug Sector, Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
Special Organized Crime Prosecutors' Office, Greek MOI and
MOJ representatives, post's OPDAT and ICITAP staff, and the
DEA Regional Office in Athens. The investigation team
employed a series of special investigative methods, including
secret surveillance and undercover agents from Macedonia and

SIPDIS
Greece. In addition, for the first time ever, a DEA agent
testified as a protected witness before the Macedonian court.
A parallel trial is ongoing in Greece including other
members of the same drug smuggling ring.


3. (SBU) COMMENT: The investigation, arrest, trial,
conviction, and sentencing of the drug traffickers is a
significant step forward in Macedonia's fight against
organized crime and efforts to strengthen the rule of law.
The successful performance of the judiciary also should help
strengthen Macedonia's ability to meet NATO membership
standards. Additionally, the level of cooperation between
Macedonia and Greece in this case is an excellent example of
how the criminal justice sectors of both nations are taking
the lead in improving relations at the working level, even if
diplomatic relations remain cool because of the ongoing name
dispute.
MILOVANOVIC