North Macedonia arrests 20 in cross-border organised crime sweep; luxury cars seized

North Macedonian police on Thursday arrested 20 people in a large, long-running probe into an organized criminal group suspected of thefts in multiple European countries, authorities said.

The group is believed to have operated for more than 15 years and is suspected of committing serious thefts in Spain and Greece, including in the Halkidiki and Kallithea areas. Among those detained was a person who had escaped house arrest in Spain.

Evidence, cars and cross-border links

Searches during the operation included homes of several police officers who are suspected of passing information to the criminal network. Investigators say the suspects invested illicit proceeds abroad and are checking whether property in neighboring Serbia was purchased with criminal funds.

Authorities seized cash totalling more than €120,000 and confiscated about ten vehicles, including two Maseratis and two luxury Land Rovers. Officials say there are grounded suspicions that one of the vehicles is linked to forged documentation.

The operation, coordinated by the Public Prosecutor's Office, lasted more than a year. Minister of Internal Affairs Panche Toshkovski described the arrested group as a serious organized criminal network that operated for many years not only in North Macedonia but also in European Union member states. He also noted that a close family member of one suspect was detained by French police months ago after about 10 kilograms of cocaine were found in a bunker in his vehicle that was intended for shipment to North Macedonia.

Photo: press material from the event