Criminal complaint filed after illegal mining contaminated Struga’s water

Police in Struga have filed criminal charges against two individuals and a legal entity from the Struga area over illegal mineral extraction that led to contamination of the town's water supply.

The complaint names H.M. (50) and N.K. (54), both from the village of Veleshta, and a company registered in the same village. They are accused of a series of offences including usurpation of property, illegal exploitation of mineral resources, creating danger during construction works, and contamination of drinking water.

Struga Police Station says the suspects carried out illegal excavations on multiple cadastral parcels, on land owned by them and by others, as well as on several state-owned parcels, without a valid concession agreement. The unlawful works were performed close to the springs in the village of Shum, which supply the city of Struga with drinking water, and contributed to direct pollution and turbidity of the drinking water to levels over 30 times the permitted limit.

Impact on residents and water supply

Those authorities report the contamination caused a prolonged interruption of the water supply and led to official bans on using the water for drinking, for maintaining personal hygiene and for hand hygiene.

The pre-trial action from the Struga Police Station initiates criminal proceedings against the named persons and the legal entity. Investigators say the excavations were carried out on both private parcels and parcels in state ownership.

Authorities have signalled the severity of the pollution measurements and are continuing investigations; the case will move through the criminal justice process toward prosecution.

Photo: press material from the event