Several anti-narcotics operations in North Macedonia have shed light to ties between traffickers and members of the state police.

In early April, 9 cops were arrested for issuing fake passports to 215 regional drug lords.

Another joint operation with the DEA seized 200 kilos of cannabis belonging to the Prilep chief of police.

The Deputy Minister of interior Nazim Bushi told Euronews Albania that the country’s state police have the necessary capacities to fight drug trafficking.

“The capacities of the Ministry of Interior are strong and able to undertake this job, but external authorities such as DEA have become involved due to indications that regional organized crime groups are connected in drug trafficking”, said Nazim Bushi, North Macedonia’s deputy interior minister.

The involvement of police authorities in drug trafficking networks makes it even harder to tackle the issue as they sabotage the process, and at the same time undermines the image of law enforcement authorities in face of the citizens.

North Macedonia has legalized the cultivation of marijuana for medical purposes, but there are claims that the licenses issued to citizens for using the herb are being misused.

“The Ministry of Agriculture and Health have proved that licenses to grow cannabis are being misused”, said the deputy minister.

“It is the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health that need to carry out the necessary checks, the Ministry of Interior has no access here. There are three or four companies that are misusing the license”, he added.

Meanwhile, the opposition has accused the government of acting as a “shield” and protecting narco-traffickers for “their own personal gains”.

The allegations have been continuously dismissed by the government.