A federal court trial that developed as the result of a controlled undercover drug purchase east of London will end soon.

Lawyers for five men, three of them natives of Bosnia, are expected to give their closing arguments today (Thursday) as the 10-day trial is completed.

Wednesday morning, the testimony in the government’s case headed for an end with Paul Vires of London Auto Sales on the stand. Vires said Kemal Dugalic, who lived in Laurel County on Hopper Creek Road, came three times to his sales lot off KY 1956 west of London to pick out automobiles.

A man named Ifran Demerovic was sent to pick up the vehicles, pay for them and get the bills of sale for two Ford Focuses and a Chevrolet Impala.

The Impala was reportedly used in drug operations in Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis.

He testified that the cars were paid for in cash.

That was followed by testimony by Andrew Benson, a Chicago Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory technician who certified that several one-kilogram bags of what was thought to be cocaine was actually cocaine.

The drug was placed as evidence.

It had been confiscated during the search of an apartment in Indianapolis, called a stash house, according to earlier testimony.

Each kilogram bag of cocaine is the equivalent of 2.2 pounds. According to earlier testimony, they were purchased by Emir Dadanovic, the alleged ring leader of the conspiracy of at least five persons, who was said to have paid $30,000 for each 2.2-pound bag.

The U.S. rested its case and the defense opened its case with Dadanovic’s lawyer, Currie Milliken, calling Zoram Sukolovic to the stand.

Sukolovic operates a Columbus television cable installation company.

Milliken asked about Halil Batlak, a Bosnian who has already entered a guilty plea as the result of the indictment. He had worked for Sukolovic, but left the company.

Sukolovic responded that no one working at the company liked Batlak. There was “not much credibility in his talk,” he noted and added there was talk of him “being a criminal during the war,” and a “back stabber.”

Gary Crabtree, representing K. Dugalic, questioned Sukolovic about K. Dugalic’s work at his company.

The company owner called him dependable. K. Dugalic worked for him from 2001-03.

David Hoskins, Omer Dugalic’s lawyer, asked Sukolovic about O. Dugalic’s work ethic at the company.

O. Dugalic had worked for a short time, Sukolovic testified. It was about the same time K. Dugalic and Batlak worked there.

Sukolovic called him “dependable to a certain extent. We had issues when it came to work.”

When O. Dugalic left the company, Sukolovic said O. Dugalic said, “If I can’t do a good job, I’m not staying here.” And he left.

Dadanovic’s mother, Vahida Dadanovic, was called to the witness stand.

She had some trouble understanding English as she was questioned.

She said she had moved to Bowling Green 13 years ago with her husband, who is now quite ill.

They had come from Tuzla, Bosnia.

She testified to Milliken that her husband’s father had provided what she said at first was $100 for Dadanovic’s twin boys for the purchase of land.

Because of her problems with English she was eventually able to agree that it had been $100,000.

Ron Walker, an assistant U.S. Attorney cross examined her and asked if the money had been used to purchase land. She was unable to understand the question.

Following his mother’s appearance Dadanovic closed his case, as did the other four, K. Dugalic, O. Dugalic, Donta Hamilton and Jerdin Avidio Yanes.

Closing arguments were set for 8 a.m. on Thursday.

Batlak was identified as a cocaine delivery person and was arrested on Oct. 14, 2009. He pleaded guilty on April 30, this year.

Earnestina Hajric, K. Dugalac’s girlfriend, was arrested on the same day and pleaded guilty on Aug. 9, as did Shane Page and Mladen Bjelogravic.

Dzevad Avadic was arrested on Nov. 3, 2009, and has pleaded guilty to an information filed with the counts against him in the indictment dismissed.

Also charged in the indictment but apparently still at large are Igor Jokic, Ifran Demerovi and Oscar Maruricio Cordova-Hernande.

Investigation by DEA officers began in Laurel County after a controlled undercover purchase of drugs was staged at the home of Hajric and K. Dugalic on Hopper Creek Road south west of Blackwater Road east of London.

The investigation took officers into West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana as well as Kentucky.

The five at trial were charged with conspiracy to sell drugs, money laundering and selling drugs, cocaine and marijuana.

To see more of The Times-Tribune or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.thetimestribune.com/.

By Carl Keith Greene
The Times-Tribune, Corbin, Ky.
September 09, 2010

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