Police forces from 26 countries detained 796 people suspected of migrant smuggling and trafficking in people, weapons and drugs in a joint operation in the Western Balkans, Europol reported. Police officers from Poland also took part in the action.
The operation was managed from the capital Bosnia and HerzegovinaSarajevo. 31,109 police officers took part in the operation, a total of 316 investigations were initiated and 442 weapons were seized. “The scope of the operation was planned to be as wide as possible. Inspections and searches covered cyberspace and the real world,” Europol noted.
In total, over 655,000 tests were carried out. inspections – including approximately 516 thousand control of people, 152 thousand vehicles, 5,000 parcels and 1,181 places of residence.
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Joint action by police from 26 countries
Several European Union member states took part in the action – Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, ItalyNetherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden. Polish policemen also took part in the action.
Police officers from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine, as well as from Kosovo, were also involved in the action. Representatives of the European Commission, Europol, Eurojust, Frontex and Interpol also participated in the operation.
The so-called the Balkan route, along which immigrants try to get from southern Europe to the European Union countries, usually heading through Bosnia and Herzegovina to Croatia, which is part of Schengen zone.
Main photo source: Europol