Authorities seize cash, weapons, drugs, and freeze €400,000 in bank accounts
In a large-scale police operation codenamed “Broken Sky”, Kosovo authorities arrested 22 individuals on Tuesday morning, suspected of involvement in international drug trafficking and money laundering.
The Special Prosecution of Kosovo (PSRK), in cooperation with the Kosovo Police, executed the operation following a months-long investigation. The raid spanned the regions of Prishtina, Prizren, Peja, and Gjilan, and involved around 600 police officers conducting searches at 47 locations.
According to an official joint statement from the PSRK and the Kosovo Police, the operation was carried out based on an order from the Basic Court in Prishtina, and led to the dismantling of an organized criminal group.
Suspects used encrypted communication platform “SkyECC”
The arrested individuals are suspected of committing offenses related to organized crime, narcotics trafficking, and money laundering, allegedly using the SkyECC encrypted messaging platform to coordinate their activities.
Major seizures and asset freezes
Authorities confiscated significant assets during the raids, including:
- 29 vehicles
- €134,900 in cash
- 20,040 Swiss francs
- $490 USD
- €13,000 in counterfeit money
- 9 luxury watches
- 36 firearms of various types
- 1,569 cartridges and 1,292 pieces of ammunition
- A press used for packaging heroin and cocaine
- Laptops, phones, USB drives, and documents
In addition, €400,000 in bank accounts were frozen, and all real estate properties belonging to the suspects were placed under provisional restriction.
International cooperation with Belgium, the Netherlands, and Europol
The operation was carried out with the support of Belgian, Dutch, and Europol authorities, and a PSRK prosecutor was present during the enforcement of search warrants.
“This is the result of an extensive investigation into transnational organized crime groups involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, and other forms of criminal activity,” the statement read.
The PSRK and Kosovo Police emphasized that no form of criminal activity will be tolerated, reiterating their commitment to combating organized crime across the country.
