Skopje, 30 December 2024 (MIA) - A competent public prosecutor from the Skopje Basic Public Prosecutor's Office has submitted a proposal to a pre-trial judge of the Skopje-based Criminal Court for ordering a detention measure for four people, as well as a proposal for precautionary measures for one person, suspected of having participated in acts of smuggling and falsification of documents and official documents.

According to North Macedonia's Public Prosecutor's Office, one of the suspects is currently not available to law enforcement and the detention measure will be effective as soon as the person is located. 

In addition, an international warrant has been issued for one of the suspects in Sunday's police operation, who is wanted over involvement in another similar case related to smuggling of luxury vehicles, which has been conducted by the Skopje Basic Public Prosecutor's Office.  

"Four more people, Macedonian nationals, are also part of the procedure, but currently no measures are required against them. The eleventh suspect is a national of the Republic of Greece and for him, given the previously established cooperation between the Skopje Basic Public Prosecutor's Office and the Greek authorities, the criminal prosecution will be transferred to the Republic of Greece," reads a press release from the Public Prosecutor's Office.

Apart from the 11 suspects, the criminal charges of the Ministry of Interior include two more people, but their acts are part of a procedure previously led by the Skopje Public Prosecutor's Office, so the charges against them will be dismissed.

In the course of 2021 and 2022, the suspects used false documents and altered chassis numbers in order to bring cars, which were subject to international searches and cars for which they evaded customs control in other ways, into the country. 

The vehicles were registered in the country and resold among themselves on several occasions in order to conceal the trafficking, before selling them to the end users.

Two persons employed in the administrative services for vehicle registration are among the suspects. 

Photo: MIA archive