Pubdate: Tue, 17 Oct 2000
Source: Arizona Daily Star (AZ)
Copyright: 2000 Pulitzer Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.azstarnet.com/
Author:  The Associated Press

DRUG TRAFFICKING ENRICHED MILOSEVIC, GERMANS SAY

BERLIN - Ousted Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic funneled more than
$100 million into foreign accounts and was involved in drug trafficking,
Germany's foreign intelligence agency charged yesterday.

"Such a fortune cannot have been amassed by legal means," said Lydia
Rauscher, spokeswoman for the Federal Intelligence Service.

"Numerous hints let us recognize Milosevic and his entourage as an organized
crime structure, engaged in drug trade, money laundering and other crimes,"
a newspaper quoted the report as saying.

The intelligence agency refused to release the report, but a spokeswoman
broadly confirmed the newspaper Bild's account.

Milosevic, his family and associates have repeatedly been accused of
corruption and enriching themselves through state-controlled companies
during his 13-year rule of Yugoslavia, which collapsed in the face of
protests in Belgrade this month.

The agency report, prepared for the German government, alleges the former
Yugoslav president has stashed $100 million in Switzerland alone, Rauscher
said.

The intelligence agency believes Milosevic also controls accounts in Russia,
China, Cyprus, Greece, South Africa and Lebanon.
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