BOK: No criminal group can and will not be stronger than the state

A strong fight against organized criminal groups, cigarette smuggling and the investigation of attacks on journalists will be the priority activities of the security services in the coming period, it was decided at today's constitutive session of the Bureau for Operational Coordination (BOK), chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister Dritan Abazović.

According to the Government, the BOK session was preceded by this morning's entry of special units of the Anti-Crime Sector into the Port of Bar, as part of activities to combat cigarette smuggling.

"At the first session of the BOK, the activities and strategy of the work of all security services in Montenegro were agreed upon, which will be primarily directed against the work of organized criminal groups and their related activities. No criminal group in Montenegro will and cannot be stronger than the state, and the security services will, through intensified operational work and cooperation with international institutions, undertake all activities to intensify and concretize that fight", it was pointed out at the BOK session.

The Bureau for Operational Coordination (BOK) was formed at the beginning of the month, and Abazović was elected president.

In addition to the Deputy Prime Minister, the Bureau also includes the directors of the National Security Agency (ANB) and the Police Directorate (UP), the Directorate for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, the Chiefs of the General Staff of the Army of Montenegro, the Department for Military Intelligence and Security Affairs of the Ministry of Defense, the Secretary of the Council for national security and general director of the Directorate for Security and Protection Affairs and Supervision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.