Since September 2024, the Macedonian Ministry of Interior (MoI)through its Criminal Police Department and in coordination with all Interior Departments and Regional Centers for Border Affairs has been conducting operation dubbed “Cleaner” throughout Macedonia. The operation aims to detect, monitor, and address social issues and deviant behaviors, as well as to uncover and suppress criminal offenses related to violent crime, illicit drug trafficking, and cross-border crime.
Since the start of the operation, police officers have verified the identities of 74,229 suspects and conducted 158,955 checks on persons, vehicles, and luggage. As part of the measures and activities undertaken, a total of 5,628 individuals have been arrested, 1,158 searches of homes and other premises have been carried out, and 1,135 criminal charges have been filed. Of the total number of criminal charges filed, 88 relate to violent crimes, while 1,047 relate to offenses involving illicit drug trafficking. During the operation, significant quantities of various narcotics were seized, including marijuana, cocaine, amphetamine, heroin, hashish, and MDMA tablets, along with weapons, cash, multiple motor vehicles, and mobile phones. Detention measures have been ordered for the perpetrators in accordance with legal procedures and the decisions of competent authorities, and prison sentences have been imposed in some cases. Activities carried out under the “Cleaner” operation also succeeded in disrupting several international illicit drug trafficking channels, particularly at the Tabanovce, Deve Bair, and Star Dojran border crossings.
The activities undertaken and results achieved during the police operation demonstrate a significant improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of detection efforts by police officers across all Interior Departments and Regional Centers for Border Affairs.