The Police Directorate of Montenegro announced that it participated in coordinated joint activities within the framework of the EMPACT Joint Action Days for the countries of Southeastern Europe 2023 (SEEJAD 2023), which were conducted from November 13 to 18, 2023, in which enforcement services participated. laws throughout Europe.
The announcement states that 45 people were arrested during all the activities conducted in Montenegro.
"Activities were jointly undertaken to suppress the trade in firearms, narcotics, human trafficking, smuggling of migrants and the detection of organized criminal groups, and the operation was coordinated from the International Coordination Center established in Skopje, where officials from the participating countries were present," the Police Directorate points out.
The announcement adds that 26 European countries participated in these activities (Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom), with the support of EUROPOL, EUROJUST, Frontex, INTERPOL, as well as with the support of international partners - EUBAM, IPA /2019, PCC-SEE.
"EMACT's joint action days were aimed at increased control of crossing state borders as well as the implementation of targeted activities in participating countries, and the exchange of information led to the opening of 121 new cases against criminal groups," the announcement reads.
The Police Administration said that during the preparatory phase, Europol coordinated the exchange of operational information, supported operational coordination, and also enabled the deployment of expert teams in the field.
"Through EUROPOL, the Netherlands deployed two teams with special scanning equipment at border crossings in Montenegro and Greece. In Montenegro, during the implementation of the action, 200 members of organizational units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - Police Directorate (Sector for Combating Crime) were engaged , Border Police Sector, Regional Security Centers "Center", "West", "North" and "South"), with the support of officials from the Revenue and Customs Administration. Eight K9 teams were also deployed at the border crossings, and two devices were used for scanning. In our country, 4.472 persons and 4.269 vehicles were controlled, 247 buildings were examined and searched, as well as 115 postal items were examined. In the mentioned period, almost 19 kilograms of narcotic drugs were seized, of which 18 kilograms of cocaine. Also, it was confiscated rifle, 94 pieces of ammunition, EUR 6.500 and three vehicles.In addition, entry was refused for nine persons, and the checks carried out revealed that 32 persons had exceeded their permitted stay in Montenegro. During the border control, a detailed examination of 152 vehicles and 201 persons was carried out at the second control line. "During all the activities carried out in Montenegro, 45 persons were deprived of their freedom," said the Police Administration.
The institution also stated that during the EMPACT Joint Action Days for the countries of Southeast Europe, in which a total of 22.488 police officers were involved, 163 investigations were initiated, 288.774 entities were checked - of which 215.273 persons, 67.277 vehicles, 5.225 postal packages and 999 postal packages were searched. facilities.
"Participating countries detected 2.229 illegal entries, and 566 detentions were carried out, of which 218 were related to migrant smuggling, 186 to drug trafficking, 69 to firearms trafficking and 89 to other criminal acts. These activities led to the identification of 114 falsified documents, confiscation of 310 weapons, 20.206 pieces of ammunition and almost a ton of narcotic drugs, of which about 626 kg of cocaine. The action was coordinated by Spain, and Montenegro, which participates in this activity as a collider and actively participated in all stages of preparation and implementation, and thereby contributed to the achieved results, showing commitment to international police cooperation and the fight against crime," said the Police Directorate.
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