Operation into fuel abuse, 9 people arrested

Nine people have been arrested as a result of a police operation against organized crime, carried out under the direction of the Special Prosecution and the Directorate for the Investigation of Serious Crimes and Organized Crime within the Kosovo Police, with the support of Kosovo Customs and the Kosovo Tax Administration.

The prosecution announced that, in تنفيذion of an order from the Basic Court in Prishtina, searches were carried out at a total of 21 locations.

According to the statement, during the search authorities seized 15 thousand euros, 5 cars, 5 tankers for transporting fuel derivatives, 2 firearms, 54 rounds of ammunition, electronic equipment, various documents and other evidence relevant to the case, as well as 301 euros in 2-euro banknotes, which are suspected to be counterfeit.

“Relevant units of the Police, Customs and the Kosovo Tax Administration took part in this police operation. The joint investigations led to the arrest of F.M., F.M., M.M., S.K., N.B., D.M., A.M., N.M., and G.Q., who are suspected of committing the criminal offenses of money laundering, smuggling of goods in co-perpetration, participation in or organization of an organized criminal group, false documents related to tax, and tax evasion,” the statement said.

At the end of the statement, it is emphasized that the action was carried out as part of investigative procedural steps. After gathering information and securing evidence, reasonable suspicion was established that those arrested had operated as a structured criminal group, presenting false documents related to taxes and carrying out fictitious sales and transactions of oil derivatives.

Earlier in the day, KosovaPress reported that the Special Prosecution, together with Kosovo Customs and the Kosovo Police, had undertaken a large-scale operation, as part of which raids were carried out at several locations.

As a result of this operation, Kosovo Customs, specifically the customs investigations directorate, in cooperation with the Kosovo Police, has launched an investigation into suspicions of tax evasion and the introduction of water instead of oil (mixing).

Sources from KosovaPress say that documents related to non-payment of tax were hidden in eight private houses. The process of verifying the people located at these eight sites has also begun.

More arrests are expected from today’s operation.

One of the locations searched was “Rrustem Statovci” street in Prishtina, where the KosovaPress team filmed members of the Special Unit. However, the Kosovo Police did not confirm whether these raids are related to the presence of the Special Unit on “Rrustem Statovci” in Prishtina.