Two Men Wanted by the US Disappear from House Arrest in Serbia

TDT | Belgrade

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A British man and a Chinese citizen, accused by the United States of smuggling military technology, have gone missing from house arrest in Serbia, a Serbian court confirmed.

John Miller, 63, and Cui Guanghai, 43, were arrested in Belgrade in late April under a US warrant. They face charges of conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act for allegedly attempting to acquire and transfer sensitive US military technology to China, according to the US Department of Justice.

After several weeks in detention, the pair were placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring. However, in mid-August, the monitoring system triggered an alarm. When authorities checked their homes, both men were gone. The High Court said they are no longer under supervision and are now considered fugitives. A new arrest warrant has been issued.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated it was "not aware of the situation." The British Embassy in Belgrade, the UK Foreign Ministry, and the US Department of Justice have not provided additional comments, referring questions to Serbian authorities, who also did not respond.

The reason for the two men being in Belgrade remains unclear. Serbia and China maintain close diplomatic and commercial ties. In 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Belgrade during his European tour, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic attended ceremonies in Beijing earlier this month marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.