Antwerp Drug Criminal Executed Outside Barcelona Police Station
A top-level criminal wanted by Belgian authorities for large-scale cocaine smuggling through the Port of Antwerp was executed in broad daylight on June 10 in central Barcelona, just meters from a National Police station. The brazen killing, captured clearly by security cameras, has been linked to a violent turf war between rival Montenegrin criminal clans.
The Execution
The victim, a Serbian national, was shot once in the back of the head at close range on Calle Balmes in the late morning. According to Het Laatste Nieuws, the killer—a man in his 40s with a strong build, wearing a beige polo shirt, shorts, and a bicycle helmet—made no effort to conceal his face. He hid the automatic pistol inside the bicycle helmet before approaching his target.
The hitman fled on foot toward Via Augusta, discarding the weapon, a mobile phone, and the bicycle helmet under a bus shelter bench in Gal.la Placídia square. Catalan police have named the investigation “Cas Diamant” (Diamond Case).
Victim’s Criminal Background
The victim was wanted under a European Arrest Warrant issued by Belgium for large-scale cocaine smuggling through the Port of Antwerp, participation in an organized criminal group, and money laundering of millions of euros. El Periodico reported that he was a high-ranking member of a Balkan cartel with close ties to criminal organizations in Belgium.
Identifying the victim proved challenging. He traveled with multiple forged passports, including a South American document, and used false identities to rent accommodation in a Barcelona suburb. According to the Serbian Times, his identity was confirmed on June 12 through fingerprints and DNA matched via Europol’s database, which revealed an active Interpol Red Notice issued by Belgium.
The Balkan Cartel War
The assassination is believed to be the latest episode in a long-running conflict between two rival Montenegrin criminal organizations: the Kavac and Skaljari clans. Originating from the city of Kotor, the two groups split after a dispute over a cocaine shipment of more than 200 kg in the mid-2010s. The conflict has since claimed approximately 50 to 80 lives across Europe.
Just three days before this killing, on June 7, Mario Dolovic, a 40-year-old Serbian national from Belgrade, was killed in an almost identical manner in the Zona Franca district of Barcelona. The modus operandi—a single close-range shot to the head by a professional hitman—matches the pattern of previous Balkan cartel executions in the city.
Escalating Violence in Catalonia
Catalonia has seen a sharp increase in firearms incidents, with approximately 30 shootings in the first half of 2026—a 45% increase over the same period in 2025. Six of these shootings have been fatal. The region has become a hub for drug trafficking organizations due to its role in marijuana production and its proximity to the Port of Barcelona, another entry point for South American cocaine.
The Pope’s Visit
The execution occurred during the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Barcelona, when the city was under an unprecedented security deployment of 7,000 police officers. The crime scene was approximately 800 meters from the Pope’s route, causing significant concern among his security detail. Interior Minister Nuria Parlon convened a crisis cabinet meeting with Mossos leadership immediately after the killing.
The Antwerp Connection
The Port of Antwerp has become Europe’s primary gateway for cocaine. In 2023, Belgian customs seized 116 tonnes of cocaine in the port alone, with a street value exceeding 9 billion euros. As The Brussels Times has reported, Belgium accounts for approximately 40% of all cocaine detected in Europe, though seizures likely represent only 10 to 20 percent of the total in circulation.
Former Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne has described the fight against drug cartels as Belgium’s “number one national security priority,” warning of a “new phase of narcoterrorism.”
What’s Next
The killer remains at large, though his photograph has been circulated to international police services. Previous similar executions in Barcelona have gone unsolved, raising questions about the effectiveness of European security measures against organized crime. The incident is expected to prompt closer Belgian-Spanish police cooperation and renewed EU focus on the activities of Balkan cartels operating across the continent.