Skopje, 20 February 2026 (MIA) - Minister of Interior Panche Toshkovski said criminal charges have been filed with the Public Prosecutor's Office for Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption against ten people suspected of involvement in illegal production and distribution of narcotic drugs. Two of the suspects are placed under 48-hour detention, and the investigation conducted by the Ministry of Interior in coordination with the Prosecutor's Office is also related to the drugs found in Serbia, as indications are that they come from medical cannabis production facilities in the country.

In a TV21 appearance on Thursday, Minister Toshkovski stressed that the criminal charges are a result of an extensive investigation and activities undertaken over the past period.

"At this stage of the investigation, criminal charges have been filed against ten people based on reasonable grounds to believe that they are directly or indirectly connected to illegal production and distribution of the drugs," said Toshkovski. 

Around 40 tons of marijuana were seized as part of controls carried out in production facilities across the country. A competent commission then concluded that it was not treated in accordance with legal regulations.

"The indications we had for illegal production, treatment and storage proved to be correct and the drugs, which was found not to be treated in accordance with the law, were seized," Toshkovski pointed out.

The Minister added that the controls showed that some of the companies operated completely lawfully and professionally, but major illegal actions were found in the operations of others, which is why the marijuana was seized.

"The question is where those 40 tons of drugs would have ended up if we had not seized them," said Toshkovski.

As regards the case of the marijuana seizure in Serbia, Toshkovski noted there is evidence indicating that the drugs came from the country, adding that the investigation is being conducted in close cooperation with the Serbian authorities. According to him, the key question is how such a large quantity of narcotic drugs had entered the territory of Serbia, given how the joint border controls work.

"The agreement we have on the one-stop-shop system is implemented in such a way that each border police unit of the Ministry of Interior, as part of the border control, protects the entrance to Macedonia, i.e. the exit from Serbia and the entrance to Macedonia. Macedonian police officers are at this border crossing and here they control the entrance to Macedonia. Serbian police officers control the entrance to Serbia. So, the question is not how it left Macedonia, but how it entered Serbia. That is within the competence of the Ministry of Interior. As for the competences of the other institutions, we will see, the investigation will show," Toshkovski said. 

The Government has also tasked the Ministry of Health and the competent commission, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and other institutions, to carry out controls in all licensed production facilities, in order to fully determine the factual situation and sanction all illegal actions.

"We must establish the facts as quickly as possible and put an end to the chaotic situation we inherited," Minister Toshkovski pointed out, adding that the Ministry of Interior will step up controls and activities to clear up all cases related to illegal drug production and trafficking.

Photo: Ministry of Interior