The media in Pristina reported that the Kosovo police arrested Albanian, Serb and Bosniak police and customs officers as well as civilians in several areas, on Tuesday.

A police press release quoted by Albanian-language media said that the police operation to arrest suspected members of organized crime groups was conducted in Zvecan, Zubin Potok, Leposavic, Mitrovica North, Mitrovica South, Srbica (Skenderaj) and Glogovac (Drenas).  

A Kosovo police spokesman said that one police officer was wounded by gunfire and several others were injured in scuffles.

The press release said that nine police officers arrested in northern Kosovo had been brought to Pristina for processing.  

The Kosovo Customs service said that four of its officers had been arrested in the police operation along with seven civilians. They were arrested on suspicion of involvement in smuggling and abuse of their powers, a press release said.

Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said that the Serbian authorities should not undermine Pristina’s efforts to deal with organized crime.

Haradinaj wrote on his Twitter account that organized crime should not be supported on any grounds because it poses a threat to the progress of the entire region.

Strengthening Rule of Law is our country’s & region’s core interest. Organized crime and smuggling are a direct threat to our mutual progress, and should NOT be supported on ethnic nor any other basis. The Government of Serbia should not undermine our efforts to tackle it. RH

— Ramush Haradinaj (@haradinajramush) May 28, 2019

“Strengthening rule of law is our country’s and the region’s core interest. Organized crime and smuggling are a direct threat to our mutual progress, and should NOT be supported on ethnic nor any other basis. The Government of Serbia should not undermine our efforts to tackle it,” Haradinaj wrote.