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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

MUP cracks down on illegal immigration

Belgrade, 28 August 2006

The Serbian Ministry of Interior (MUP) stated today that the Belgrade police, in cooperation with members of the directorate for the fight against organised crime of MUP, has cracked down on one more group of illegal immigrants and arrested 33 persons. This is the largest group to be arrested in a single operation so far.

The statement reads that this group of illegal immigrants was arrested at 9.30 am in a house in Brodarska Street in New Belgrade, from where they intended to reach the Croatian border near Sid during the day and continue onwards to Italy.

The group includes five citizens of Turkey and 28 Albanian citizens, 13 of the Albanian citizens are underage persons from 11 to 17 years old. The Albanian citizens crossed the border near Gnjilan, while Turkish citizens entered Serbia hidden in a truck carrying goods. They were awaited in Belgrade by the owner of the house where group members were arrested.

Nuredin R. A, Bajram A, both from Belgrade, Zahir M, a citizen of Macedonia registered as resident of Zemun, were arrested on suspicion of human trafficking and taken into custody for up to 48 hours.

Those immigrants who are not underage will be tried in a magistrate’s court for illegal entry into Serbia, and underage immigrants will be placed in a shelter for foreigners from where they will be returned to their country of origin. This action will give encouragement to further efforts made by the Serbian police to control illegal immigration and human trafficking, reads the statement.