Macedonian Tobacco Boss Granted House Arrest

The court accepted on Tuesday Sejdiu’s appeal to be sent from his prison cell to house arrest. Sejdiu offered almost a million and a half euros to the court as a guarantee that he will not escape.

In October 2008 the police arrested Sejdiu and more than 30 other people in a massive operation dubbed “Ash”, which was aimed at uncovering a tobacco smuggling ring in the north western Macedonian town of Kumanovo.

In March this year the Skopje court sentenced Sejdu to five years in jail for smuggling and for other smaller crimes. The court seized five million euros of his assets. Sejdiu's defence claimed he was innocent throughout the proceedings.

32 of Sejdiu’s associates were also sentenced to jail on smuggling verdicts.

Sejdiu was known to the public as a controversial businessman even from before the police led an operation against him.

He owned several properties near Kumanovo, including several motels and a soccer club called Milano. Local media have estimated that Sejdiu is worth over €30 million.

Following Sejdiu’s arrest, the entire police department in Kumanovo was probed for possible connections with the tobacco boss.