SIGNIFICANT RESULTS IN COMBATING ORGANISED CRIME

BANJA LUKA, APRIL 3 /SRNA/ – The Ministry of Interior /MoI/ of Republika Srpska has achieved significant results in combating organised crime, including dismantling several organised criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, arms trafficking and other forms of serious crime, Republika Srpska Police Director Siniša Kostrešević said in his SRNA interview.

He emphasized that special emphasis has been placed on international cooperation and coordination with other agencies, which has resulted in a greater number of successfully ended investigations. Responding to a question about cooperation with international police agencies such as Europol and Interpol, Kostrešević stressed that it is of exceptional importance, especially in investigations of a cross-border character. "That cooperation is crucial in combating organised crime, human trafficking, drug smuggling and cybercrime, where the exchange of information is key to success," Kostrešević said. DETERMINED TO PREVENT TERRORIST ATTACK LIKE ONE IN ZVORNIK FROM EVER HAPPENING AGAIN He pointed out that prevention is the most important aspect of successful police work, and that the introduced heightened security measures are preventive, as are many other measures that some individuals perceive as "rattling guns". "We are determined and are carrying out a series of planned activities to ensure that an event like the terrorist attack on the Zvornik Police Station in 2015, in which we lost a police officer, never happens again," Kostrešević emphasized. Kostrešević noted that heightened security measures have been introduced across the territory of Republika Srpska in order to ensure a timely response and prevent potential terrorist attacks due to possible spillover effects from the crisis caused by the escalation of violence in the Middle East. "We have seen that all police forces have done this, not only here but across Europe," Kostrešević said. REPUBLIKA SRPSKA POLICE – PROFESSIONAL AND FUNCTIONAL He said that the police structure of the Republika Srpska Ministry of Interior is professional, organised and functional, and that it operates in accordance with the law, modern standards and the needs of society. "The development path of the Republika Srpska Police, from its establishment on April 4, 1992, to the present day, represents a complex and dynamic process that has gone through several phases – from the wartime period, when the primary task was to preserve the security of the population and institutions under extremely difficult conditions, to a period of institutional strengthening, reform and modernization in peacetime," Kostrešević stated. Kostrešević said that continuous investment in personnel, equipment and organisation has contributed to the Republika Srpska Police becoming one of the key pillars of security and stability. Ahead of April 4 - the Republika Srpska Police Day, Kostrešević stressed that nurturing tradition and remembering members of the Ministry of Interior who fell in the Defensive-Patriotic War is extremely important for building the professional and moral integrity of young police officers, as well as all employees. Speaking about cooperation with agencies at the level of BiH and the Federation of BiH, he says it is professional and directed toward a common goal – preserving the security of all citizens. "Although there are certain challenges, communication and coordination in operational terms are at a satisfactory level, especially when it comes to complex investigations," Kostrešević said.