Balkan countries join forces in fight against crime

Balkan countries join forces in fight against crime

A new police centre joins BiH, Serbia and Montenegro to boost co-operation and regional security.

Border police from BiH, Serbia and Montenegro will work together at the new border centre. [AFP]

In an effort to strengthen their resources against cross-border crime, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Serbia and Montenegro have opened a centre to facilitate co-operation between the three countries' border police forces.

The centre, which opened in Trebinje, BiH, on March 24th, will have three officers from each country working together to handle information on suspicious activities in the countries. They will be delegated by border police, but will be able to contact other police agencies in their countries.

The International Organisation for Migration said the joint initiative was established as part of the Police Co-operation Project, which is financially supported by the UK and the organisation's development fund.

Trebinje was selected as the headquarters for the centre because it sits on one of the most important drug paths from Albania, through Montenegro and BiH to Western Europe. In the past, BiH border police have discovered large shipments of marijuana and heroin on the border with Montenegro.

"Organised crime, threats of terrorism, smuggling drugs, goods, weapon and people over borders are a serious threat to this region. However, open borders are a precondition for international trade, tourism and cultural exchange. With close regional co-operation, we will make our borders open but safe," Vesko Vukadinovic, deputy director of the Montenegro border police, said at the centre's opening ceremony.

According to Vinko Dumancic, the BiH border...