MUP to continue with "preventive raids"

Serbian police (MUP) will this year continue with a series of "preventive" raids of all those locations known to gather drug dealers, says Ivica Dacic. "The main goal, however, will be to strike at organizers, that is, to connect a network of evidence that we find during the raids to the very organizers of the groups," the interior minister was quoted as saying by Belgrade daily Danas. MUP to continue with "preventive raids" He also added that this will take place "regardless of whether these people are located in Serbia or abroad". Dacic revealed that yet another so-called white book on organized crime was in the works. He explained that there were "15 to 20" organized drug trafficking groups in the country, while there were "30 to 40" organized crime groups involved in various criminal activities, that members of eight such groups were arrested during 2008, but that this "does not mean that the groups themselves have disappeared". As for the white book, Dacic said it is a collection of operative data that is being revised, and "is issued again every day". "Through the SECI center in Bucharest, a so-called regional white book is also being prepared, that will define an appraisal of the organized crime threat to all the Western Balkans countries," he said, and noted that this was the first effort of its kind in the region. Asked whether police would continue to look for the Zemun Clan members still at large, Dacic said that MUP "have no information on where they might be hiding". "There were hints that they were in a western European country, but we determined that this was not true. The unit that is working on finding them is still active," the minister said. The remaining Zemun Clan fugitives have been indicted with grave crimes, including the murder of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic in 2003. Some media recently reported that MUP's outfit in charge of fighting organized crime, SBPOK, was investigating the tender through which Serbia recently bought swine flu vaccines. Dacic said that the probe in fact had to do with "possible financial abuses or procedural errors at the Agency for Drug and Medical Equipment Control", but also about the manner in which tenders are conducted. However, he denied that police were investigating the purchase of swine flu vaccines. Dacic also said that the world economic crisis has left "everyone, including MUP, unhappy with their budgets". "Regardless of the fact that we got more money this year, we also got more functions," he was quoted as saying. "The amount will not suffice to realize all our planned police tasks. Also, we cannot expect an increase in salaries, and some 75 percent of this year's budget will be spent precisely on salaries." Dacic is seen during a recent visit to the MUP operative center in Belgrade (Beta)

MUP to continue with "preventive raids"

He also added that this will take place "regardless of whether these people are located in Serbia or abroad".

Dačić revealed that yet another so-called white book on organized crime was in the works.

He explained that there were "15 to 20" organized drug trafficking groups in the country, while there were "30 to 40" organized crime groups involved in various criminal activities, that members of eight such groups were arrested during 2008, but that this "does not mean that the groups themselves have disappeared".

As for the white book, Dačić said it is a collection of operative data that is being revised, and "is issued again every day".

"Through the SECI center in Bucharest, a so-called regional white book is also being prepared, that will define an appraisal of the organized crime threat to all the Western Balkans countries," he said, and noted that this was the first effort of its kind in the region.

Asked whether police would continue to look for the Zemun Clan members still at large, Dačić said that MUP "have no information on where they might be hiding".

"There were hints that they were in a western European country, but we determined that this was not true. The unit that is working on finding them is still active," the minister said.

The remaining Zemun Clan fugitives have been indicted with grave crimes, including the murder of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić in 2003.

Some media recently reported that MUP's outfit in charge of fighting organized crime, SBPOK, was investigating the tender through which Serbia recently bought swine flu vaccines.

Dačić said that the probe in fact had to do with "possible financial abuses or procedural errors at the Agency for Drug and Medical Equipment Control", but also about the manner in which tenders are conducted.

However, he denied that police were investigating the purchase of swine flu vaccines.

Dačić also said that the world economic crisis has left "everyone, including MUP, unhappy with their budgets".

"Regardless of the fact that we got more money this year, we also got more functions," he was quoted as saying.

"The amount will not suffice to realize all our planned police tasks. Also, we cannot expect an increase in salaries, and some 75 percent of this year's budget will be spent precisely on salaries."