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| Kosovo Police accompanied by special agents at the Customs |
More than 50 police officers working at the Kosovo-Albania border crossing in Morina were arrested on Friday in a joint operation between law enforcement agencies from both countries.
A statement from the Kosovo Police Inspectorate states that 26 police officers have been arrested on suspicion of "abuse of official duty or authority" and "accepting bribes".
"The Police Inspectorate of Kosovo by order of the Special Prosecution is carrying out today the operation codenamed 'Point 2' that has started in the early morning hours in Prizren, respectively at the border crossing point in Vërmicë, according to reports.
"Today's operation was preceded by an investigation of about a year on suspicion of involvement in illegal activities of a number of police officers related to the criminal offenses of 'accepting bribes' and 'abuse of official position or authority," the statement said.
Today's operation was preceded by an investigation of about a year, according to the announcement, during which investigators are said to have used covert surveillance and investigation measures.
Meanwhile, in the notification from the Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime in Albania, it is stated that 31 officials have been arrested, who "continuously forced Albanian and foreign citizens to pay different amounts of money for crossing from Albania to Kosovo and vice versa".
It states that the investigation documented 312 cases of corrupt actions of police officers, who “favored various persons for the import of smuggled goods; persons who trafficked vehicles, other illegal items; various persons who had problems with the law and others helped to cross the border ”.