Former Croatia defender Dario Simic arrested in anti-corruption probe over Adriatic campsite permits

The arrest

Dario Simic, the former Croatia international who spent a decade in Serie A with Inter Milan and AC Milan, was arrested in Zagreb on Tuesday 14 July 2026 as part of an anti-corruption operation led by the Croatian anti-corruption office USKOK and the police. The state prosecutor's office confirmed that an investigation has been opened against three Croatian citizens suspected of having issued an unlawful permit for the operation of a campsite, as well as abuse of office, exceeding official authority, and incitement to such abuse. Local media published photos of Simic in handcuffs being led from a police vehicle.

He has never committed an unlawful act.

Simic's lawyer Ivan Stanic rejected the allegations as unfounded and said his client had already been questioned twice on the same matter. The arrest was carried out without a search of the property, according to the defence team.

The campsite

At the centre of the case is a small private campsite with 10 pitches and a maximum capacity of 30 guests, located in the coastal town of Tisno on the island of Murter in central Croatia. Investigators allege that between 2020 and 2021, permits were granted for the construction and operation of the facility even though portions of the land in question were designated as non-buildable and incompatible with local urban planning regulations.

They are suspected of having issued an unlawful permit for the operation of a campsite.

In 2024, local authorities in Tisno had already filed complaints against Simic for alleged illegal construction in a protected coastal zone, according to multiple media reports citing the state news agency HINA.

The co-accused

Two other people were taken into custody alongside Simic. The first is Neda Livljanic, a former regional tourism official, who is accused of having facilitated the bureaucratic process needed to obtain the permits. The second is Marin Miksic, a local businessman described by investigators as an alleged intermediary in the scheme. Livljanic had already been indicted in 2025 in a separate case concerning the irregular issuance of permits for several campsites in the same area, together with four other people. The current investigation thus represents a new judicial chapter for the former official.

Playing career and business

Simic, now 50, began his career at Dinamo Zagreb in 1992 and made his national team debut in 1996. He played a key role in Croatia's third-place finish at the 1998 World Cup and went on to earn 100 caps for his country before retiring from international football in 2008, becoming the first Croatian to reach the century mark. He featured in three World Cups, with appearances in 1998, 2002, and 2006. After six seasons at Dinamo Zagreb, he moved to Italy, playing for Inter Milan from 1999 to 2002 and then for AC Milan between 2002 and 2008, where he won one Serie A title and two Champions League trophies, in 2003 and 2007. He later had a spell at AS Monaco before returning to Dinamo Zagreb, retiring in August 2010.

What comes next

Neither the police nor the specialised anti-corruption prosecutor's office immediately confirmed the details of the arrest in an official statement, though the investigation is proceeding under USKOK's authority. Simic remains in custody and has denied all charges through his legal representative. After his playing days, Simic entered the business world and founded Aquaviva, a bottled-water company that distributes its products across the Balkans.