Twenty nine individuals have been detained Wednesday in several Macedonian cities as part of the police operation for busting a drug trafficking ring.

The 'Dirigent' (Conductor) operation, which brought together Macedonian, German and Austrian police forces, was launched in Veles, Gevgelija, Sveti Nikole and Skopje.

The detained persons are linked to the so-called Frankfurt mafia, and are suspected of crime acts perpetrated in Macedonia and abroad, said Ivo Kotevski, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior.

Among those arrested are six masterminds of the criminal group, including Zoran Manaskov-Skrseniot, Spase Dimovski-Ajduk and Tome Dimovski-Tomce.

350 policemen have been engaged in the raids of the homes, restorants and cafes of the detained, which thus far resulted in sezing large amounts of money, drugs and other items.