Pristina 28 December 2010

On 23 December 2010, a EULEX Prosecutor from the Kosovo Special Prosecution Office (SPRK) filed an indictment against three persons at the District Court of Prishtinë/Priština.

The accused are charged with trafficking in drugs and organized crime. The case stems from a major investigation undertaken by the Kosovo Police Organised Crime Directorate led by a EULEX Special Prosecutor of the SPRK since late 2008. Due to the cross-border nature of the organized criminal group, the investigation was conducted in co-operation with a number of police and prosecutorial counterparts from countries in the Balkans and Western Europe.

Two of the accused were arrested in Kosovo on 27 May 2010, the third on 4 December 2010 pursuant to orders for arrest issued by a EULEX Pre-Trial Judge. The pre-trial phase was subsequently delegated to the local judiciary. All persons have been detained on remand pending further proceedings.

On 24 Dec 2010, a three Judge Panel of Kosovo Judges ordered the extension of detention of all three accused for a further two months following the issuance of the indictment.

The hearing on the confirmation of the indictment is anticipated for early 2011.