Kosovo Police Raid Sites in North Mitrovica Over Smuggling

Kosovo police began searches at several locations in northern Kosovo this morning, October 22, 2026, mainly in North Mitrovica. According to its statement, the operation is being carried out on a court order, as part of the fight against goods smuggling.

The statement was issued by the North Mitrovica Regional Police Directorate and published by Radio KiM at 10:22 a.m. Here it is in full, as that outlet relayed it:

“The North Mitrovica Regional Police Directorate informs the public that today, 22.10.2026, on a court order, at several locations in the north of the country, the Kosovo Police is carrying out an operation as part of the fight against goods smuggling.”

The police are not working alone. Kosovo Customs, the Kosovo Tax Administration and other competent institutions are taking part in the action. Not all of the locations being searched have been named.

What did Veton Eljsani say?

The action was confirmed by Veton Eljsani, deputy commander of the Kosovo Police for the North region. According to N1 and Mondo, which relay KoSSev, Eljsani said the searches are being carried out mainly in North Mitrovica, in cooperation with the prosecutor’s office, and that the action concerns goods.

Speaking to Kosovo Online, as relayed by Sputnik, Eljsani also said a court is involved:

“An action against goods smuggling is under way, in cooperation with the Basic Court in Mitrovica and the competent prosecutor’s office.”

The same source records Eljsani as saying the prosecutor’s office will publish the results once the investigation is finished. Mondo and N1 mention only cooperation with the prosecutor’s office, without the Basic Court, so the detail about the court currently rests on a single source.

What is not yet known?

RTS reports that the police have given no details and have promised them once the operation is over. N1 and Mondo report that the police have not said so far whether anyone has been detained or whether goods have been seized, and that they announced further information on the results during the day. The type and value of the goods are not yet known, and it has not been specified exactly which locations are involved.

Radio KiM later, at 11:51 a.m., published a story headlined “Action against illegal imports from Serbia: trucks, vans and goods seized in northern Kosovo; action has been under way since April”. The headline alone does not show whether it concerns today’s operation, and we could not verify the text beneath it, so we do not draw that connection.

Belgrade media, including RTS and Mondo, describe the action as one by the so-called Kosovo police. In the police statement itself, the operation is presented solely as a fight against goods smuggling.

Until results are published, what remains open is what only the police and the prosecutor’s office can say: how many locations were searched, whether anyone was detained and what exactly was seized. The police have announced they will release those figures later today.