Skopje, 16 October 2024 (MIA) — Fourteen customs officers, one retired customs officer, and a police officer have been detained over suspected bribery and abuse of office, law enforcement authorities said.

Following a months-long probe carried out by the Interior Ministry's Suppression of Organized and Serious Crimes Department in cooperation with public prosecutors under the code name "Crossing," police searched 26 locations in Strumica and Gevgelija on Tuesday and found money in the total amount of EUR 50,000.

Thirteen suspects, who are employees of the Novo Selo and Dojran border crossings customs offices, have been charged with bribery under Article 357 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. Two suspects have been charged with abuse of office and authority under Article 353 of the Criminal Code.

According to the Criminal Code, the crime of accepting a bribe is punishable by imprisonment of four to ten years. Abuse of power is punishable by imprisonment of six months to three years. mr/