Kosovo’s State Police informed it had cracked down a structured criminal gang that organized and managed a network of international traffic of immigrants from third countries, from Greece to Albania, Kosovo and Serbia, destined for European Union countries. Related to the case, police arrested five Syrians and an Algerian, while another Syrian citizen was declared wanted.

While trying to escape the Police in Morina, in the border between Albania and Kosovo, some of these citizens opened fire against officers. The arrested are: Algerian citizen A. B., 27 years old; and Syrian citizens M. N., 25 years old; N. A., 20 years old; M. Sh., 21 years old; M. R., 20 years old and R. L., 40 years old.

They stand accused of the criminal offenses of attempted murder of State Police employees carried out in cooperation; production and illegal possession of weapons, explosive weapons and ammunition; and assistance for illegal crossing of borders. Procedural materials were passed to the Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of First Instance of the General Jurisdiction in Kukës for further actions.

There is an ongoing operation according to Police, to find the firearms used in the case, as well as to capture the now wanted Algerian citizen.