Serbian police announced on Feb. 19 that in an operation spanning several cities it had arrested a group of 50 persons suspected of illegal trade worth EUR4 million and damaging the state budget by EUR2 million.

The group is suspected of having fabricated sales and service documentation for non-existing transactions, for the purpose of evading taxes and receiving unfounded tax returns.

According to the police statement, the well-organized group allegedly utilized tens of different companies from 2007 to 2010, following an arranged schedule of roles and tasks.

The suspects were taken into custody in Valjevo, Novi Sad, Belgrade, Sabac, Sremska Mitrovica, Cacak, and Sombor, and are thought to have committed several instances of abuse of office, official identification forgery, money laundering, illegal trade, and tax evasion.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic has said that the group was one of the best-organized criminal groups in the country, dealing with illegal financial transactions in "three different lines of work."

"I am sure that such examples exist elsewhere, so the police will be devoting considerable attention to this type of crime in the near future, aside from the usual day-to-day fight against organized crime, the illegal drug trade, and other general forms of crime," Dacic said.

The police statement also said that Dacic had stated that the operation was part of the ongoing fight against organized crime and corruption in Serbia, and announced that police efforts would continue in the next few days, until "all money channels [employed by the suspects] are discovered."