Interior Minister Davor Božinović specified that in the last two interconnected actions by the police and USKOK against 45 people suspected of drug abuse, more than eight tons of various types of drugs were seized.
"The actions are codenamed 'Armageddon' and 'Ibica and hope' and represent a significant attack by the Croatian police on the criminal structure of the drug milieu. "Seven police administrations with a total of 250 police officers from several branches of the police, including criminal, special and intervention police, are participating in the action," he said.
Božinović explained that the police and prosecutor's office are targeting several criminal organizations that have transported large quantities of drugs from Latin America and Albania to Europe in the past few years, mostly cocaine, heroin, marijuana, hashish and synthetic drugs.
"We are talking about the seizure of more than eight tons of various types of drugs, with the majority of it being cocaine, around 6,7 tons. Some of the drugs were seized in Croatia, but most of the seizures were made in the United States and Spain," he added.
The minister emphasized that more than 2600 drug abuse crimes are prosecuted in Croatia annually, while 27 criminal associations related to drug crime are prosecuted annually, which is 35 percent more than during the mandates of previous governments.
Former world champion allegedly targeted by investigators
"These figures indicate careful, patient and years of police work, with large resources invested, mainly in the criminal police. These results show why Croatia is a safe country and why it is a leader in the fight against organized crime," he said.
The police previously announced that arrests and urgent evidentiary actions are underway in the areas of the Split-Dalmatia, Zagreb, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Istria, Šibenik-Knin, Zadar and Dubrovnik-Neretva police departments.
After the criminal investigation is completed, the suspects will be handed over to the detention supervisor, while the police will file criminal charges against them with the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime, the Ministry of the Interior reported.
USKOK reported that after questioning the suspects, it will make a decision on further action, i.e. whether to launch an investigation against the suspects and request pretrial detention, about which it will "inform the public in a timely manner."
The media reported that investigators are targeting, among others, the co-owner of the Zagreb folk club Ritz Mario Gavrić, former world kickboxing champion Marko Benzon and Jakša Cvitanović Cvik, who the media once called the Korčula drug lord. The Zagreb group was allegedly led by Christian Palić, and the Split group by Benzon.
Photo: Hina/Baldo Marunčić
