Interior Ministry corruption operation: 26 arrested, budget loss over 203 million dinars
A coordinated operation by special departments of the higher prosecutor's offices in Nis, Kraljevo and Novi Sad targets money laundering, tax evasion and abuse of office.
Officers from the Criminal Police Directorate and the Anti-Corruption Service arrested 26 people across Serbia. The operation was announced on May 27 by the Interior Ministry (MUP).
The operation was carried out on orders from special departments of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Offices in Nis, Kraljevo and Novi Sad.
The charges
According to the MUP statement, the suspects are charged with a series of offences prosecuted ex officio:
- money laundering
- tax evasion
- unlawful VAT refunds
- abuse of office
- commercial fraud
- forgery of documents
- embezzlement in commercial activity
Specific charges vary by case.
How much money is involved
The illicit gain attributed to the suspects, by the investigators’ calculation, reaches around 196.9 million dinars. The damage to the Serbian budget and to various legal entities, across all the joined cases, exceeds 203 million dinars. The figures are subject to further verification during the financial investigation.
The suspects will be brought before the competent prosecutor’s offices in Nis, Kraljevo and Novi Sad within statutory deadlines. After questioning, the prosecution may seek a 48-hour hold or up to 30 days of pre-trial detention. The basis is assessed under Article 211 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
What happens after the arrests
Following questioning, the prosecutor’s office issues a decision to open a formal investigation. It then gathers evidence, hears witnesses and orders expert reports. Financial expert reports are the most important; in cases of this kind they often determine the legal classification.
Under the Criminal Procedure Code, an investigation can last up to six months. Extensions are possible on the basis of a reasoned proposal.
Sentences under the Criminal Code
Money laundering under Article 245 of the Criminal Code carries a sentence of six months to five years. In its aggravated form, when the value of the property exceeds 1,500,000 dinars, the sentence rises to between one and ten years.
Abuse of office under Article 359 carries a sentence of six months to twelve years, depending on the severity of the consequences.
Coordinated operations as standard practice
Operations of this kind are carried out when several prosecutor’s offices simultaneously establish grounds for arrest in interconnected cases. The Ministry has announced that further details, including the structure of suspects by official functions, will be released after questioning concludes.
Subsequent stages of the proceedings include possible additions to criminal complaints and measures to secure the proceeds. The operation, the MUP says, is part of continuing work to combat economic crime.
What the prosecutor’s offices in Nis, Kraljevo and Novi Sad decide after questioning will become clear in the coming days. Follow our investigations coverage on the portal.
