Ten Kosovo Police officers injured during anti-smuggling operation in the north

English

Gazeta Express

13/10/2021 18:42

The Kosovo Police have issued a statement saying the goal of today’s operation was prevention and fighting of smuggling in several regions of Kosovo (Pristina, Peja, Mitrovica South, Mitrovica North and Zvecan), namely search of 26 suspected locations, sequestration of smuggled goods and arrest of individuals suspected of being involved in smuggling activities. The Police say that the situation escalated in the north when criminal organised groups have gathered and blocked the roads with heavy vehicles, using shock bombs, hand grenades and firearms, aimed at obstructing and attacking police and customs officers in carrying out their official duties.

“Referring the situation on the ground, direct threat of officers, blockade of roads and use of shock bombs, hand grenades and weapons by suspected persons and torching of an official vehicle, the Kosovo Police was forced to take police action by using necessary legal tools, aimed at offering security to the officers involved in operation and citizens of that area,” it is stated in the press release, Gazeta Express reports.

According to the press release as a consequence of use of lethal weapons towards police officers, ten officers have sustained bodily injuries, of them seven are of Albanian nationality and three of Serbian nationality. Based on the initial information one of the persons involved in attacking police officers has been injured. “As a result of professional police actions eight people suspected of being involved in smuggling with goods have been arrested and ten others are wanted by the police. Also goods have been confiscated with hundreds of thousands of euro,” the police said in a statement. /GazetaExpress/