Just as we have informed through press releases and an official press conference, by the authorization of the competent prosecutors, after an ongoing investigations conducted for almost a year, the implementation of the police operation in cooperation with Kosovo Customs has begun.
The purpose of this police operation was to prevent and combat smuggling in several regions of Kosovo (Pristina, Peja, Mitrovica South, Mitrovica North and Zveqan), respectively checks at (26) suspected locations, seizure of smuggled goods and arrest of persons suspected of involvement in this smuggling.
All police actions were carried out in coordination with the competent prosecutions and courts, by order of which checks and raids were carried out in various locations such as residential houses, business premises, warehouses of goods, etc.
The police operation was carried out in the region of Prishtina, Peja, South Mitrovica and North Mitrovica. While in all other regions the police operation went without any problems, in Mitrovica North criminal groups in an organized manner have gathered, created roadblocks with various means of transport, used gas tanks, shock bombs, firearms and hand grenades, for the purpose of obstructing and attacking police and customs officers who have been in the line of duty.
Referring to the created situation, direct endangerment of officials, roadblocks, use of gas cylinders, shock bombs, use of firearms and hand grenades by suspects and damage / arson of official vehicles, Kosovo Police is forced to take police action using the necessary legal means, in order to provide security to the officials involved in the operation and the citizens of that area.
As a result of throwing with various deadly things towards police officers, it was reported that (10) police officers suffered bodily injuries, of which (7) officers of Albanian nationality and (3) officials of Serbian nationality. Based on initial information, one of the persons involved in the attack on police officers was injured.
As a result of the professional actions of police officers up to this stage, eight (8)persons suspected of smuggling goods have been arrested and detained, and (10) other suspected persons have been announced wanted by the police.
Also, various smuggled goods and evidence in the amount of hundreds of thousands of euros were seized, which serve as material evidence, which were located in different locations, business premises, warehouses, etc.
The police operation has ended, the situation in the northern part of Mitrovica is calm, while the Kosovo Police in cooperation and coordination with the judiciary bodies is conducting intensive investigations to identify the suspects who carried out attacks with dangerous means, firearms against the police and customs officials.
