Criminal group involved in smuggling and corruption dismantled in Macedonia; six arrested and more than €100,000 confiscated

The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that it had uncovered and dismantled a criminal group suspected of smuggling goods and committing acts of corruption. A criminal complaint has been filed against eight people in connection with the case, while more than €100,000, medicines, supplements and other material evidence were seized during the operation.

The operation was conducted on September 21, 2026, under the direction of the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption. Officials from the Department for Combating Organized and Serious Crime, in cooperation with the Department for Special Police Operations’ Rapid Deployment Unit, carried out the operation targeting the group involved in smuggling and corruption.

The searches, conducted on the orders of the Basic Criminal Court in Skopje, took place at several addresses in Skopje, Tetovo and Gevgelija. Six people were arrested, while more than €100,000, 16 gold-colored plates, cigarettes and tobacco without excise stamps, a large quantity of medicines and supplements illegally brought into the country, mobile phones and other items were found and seized.

A criminal complaint was filed with the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption against M.S. (52) from Tetovo, Z.S. (42) from Gevgelija, A.S. (38) from Skopje, B.L. (46) from Tetovo, E.A. (55) from Skopje, D.Xh. (46) from Tetovo, B.A.K. (34) and S.S. (42), both from the Republic of Turkey. They are suspected of several criminal offenses, including smuggling, concealing smuggled goods, evading excise payments, accepting and offering bribes, producing and placing harmful medicinal products into circulation, as well as laundering money and property obtained through criminal activity.

According to the suspicions, between 2024 and 2026, M.S., the first person reported, organized the illegal import, storage and resale of goods subject to excise duties, specifically cigarettes and tobacco. Through bribes paid to customs official Z.S., the group members were enabled to transport these goods across the customs line without declaring them and without paying the legally required duties. In the same way, medicines and supplements intended for sale are also suspected of having been illegally brought into the country.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs said that these actions caused material damage to the state budget, as customs duties, excise duties and value-added tax were evaded in significant amounts. In addition, placing certain products into circulation without approval, instructions or a prescription created a risk to people’s health./Telegrafi/