Convicted gang leader “Sandokan” spotted at pro-Vučić camp in Belgrade

Milan Ostojić, a convicted criminal known as “Sandokan” and the alleged leader of the notorious Šabac-based “Sabaka” criminal group, was present at the so-called “Ćaciland” camp in Belgrade — a site set up by supporters of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Pionirski Park.

Photos obtained by the investigative outlet KRIK show Ostojić inside a tent with Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) MP Uglješa Mrdić last month. Additional images indicate that Ostojić visited the camp at least once more during the summer.

In November, Mrdić staged a hunger strike in a tent erected on the steps of the National Assembly, an action widely perceived as an attempt to politically neutralize the hunger strike of Dijana Hrka, the mother of one of the victims killed in the Novi Sad canopy collapse. During Mrdić’s protest, he received visits from party colleagues — as well as individuals with serious criminal backgrounds.

Journalists from KRIK identified Ostojić among the visitors through photos circulating on social media. One image was posted by Nina Sobota, who appears to have close ties to Ostojić. Sobota has also been linked to other prominent criminal figures, including the late Red Star Belgrade hooligan leader Velibor Dunjić, who was killed in 2014, and Filip Korać, a powerful Serbian criminal currently detained in France, according to encrypted “Sky” messages obtained by investigators.

Ostojić’s presence in Ćaciland was not isolated. Another photo secured by KRIK shows him at the camp during the summer, surrounded by a large group of men. The fenced-off area between the Serbian Presidency and Parliament has become known for hosting individuals who openly supported President Vučić and opposed student-led protests. Several of these individuals were reportedly involved in physical attacks on protesters.

KRIK has documented these figures in its database titled “Party Guards.”

In 2020, former Šabac mayor Nebojša Zelenović publicly accused Ostojić of working for the Serbian Progressive Party by intimidating voters to secure electoral support. Ostojić sued Zelenović for defamation and won the case in court.

Beyond his local influence, Ostojić was also connected to the criminal cartel of convicted drug lord Darko Šarić, according to Sky communications in KRIK’s possession. These messages indicate that Ostojić maintained contact with senior police officials, including Danilo Stojanović, former head of the Criminal Intelligence Service, and his deputy Milutin Radovanović. Both were sentenced in a first-instance ruling to three years in prison for links to Šarić’s criminal network, though the verdict is not yet final.

Criminal past

Ostojić was arrested in 2009 as part of a crackdown on the “Sabaka” group, which prosecutors say was responsible for at least five murders, an attempted murder, drug trafficking, money laundering, and violent intimidation. He was convicted of ordering the 2007 murder of Siniša Kromekta, carried out in a public car wash in front of bystanders, including children.

Initially sentenced to 20 years in prison, Ostojić’s sentence was later reduced to 10 years on appeal. He was released on parole in 2018, a year and a half before completing his sentence.

Silence from Those Involved

Ostojić initially told KRIK he would answer questions only in person, later requested they be submitted in writing, and ultimately did not respond. MP Uglješa Mrdić also failed to respond to journalists’ inquiries.

The revelations further deepen concerns about the intersection of organized crime, political power, and public intimidation in Serbia.