Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Cocorovska on trial for cocaine smuggling

Opening statements in the trial of Stanislava Cocorovska-Poletan, accused of attempting to smuggle nearly 500 kilograms of cocaine into Macedonia, are scheduled today in Skopje Ditrsict Court 1.

Co-defendant Alija Azirovic was driving the truck carrying the cocaine hidden in paint cans. The huge cocaine shipment was seized on Blace border crossing between Macedonia and Kosovo in January this year.

Cocorovska, the suspect mastermind of the cocaine smuggling is being held in police custody in Skopje. She was arrested in Serbia and was handed over the Macedonian authorities in May. Truck driver Azirovic was detained in Skopje on 7 January.

The Anti-Organized Crime Department within Skopje Prosecutor's Office unsealed the indictment against Cocorovska in May.

The indictment alleges that two citizens of Greece were also involved in cocaine smuggling, but no arrests have been carried out thus far in Greece.

The prime suspect Cocorovska faces drug smuggling charges for allegedly masterminding the operation to transfer 483 kilograms of cocaine from Venezuela.

The cocaine, packed in paint cans and carted by a truck for Greece, has gone through customs and border checkpoints in Croatia, Montenegro and Kosovo before being uncovered by Macedonian police.

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