STA, 29 January - Slovenian police have busted an international drug ring in cooperation with police forces from Croatia and several other European countries, seizing 120 kilos of amphetamine and arresting 20 people in nearly 50 raids on Wednesday morning.
The ring supplied the Slovenian drug market as well as international markets, the General Police Administration said in a press release.
The group imported a variety of illegal drugs from abroad and produced vast quantities of amphetamine in Slovenia.
In the course of the investigation, the police collected evidence of at least 48 drug trafficking crimes committed by 45 members of the ring.
This morning, the police carried out 47 house searches in and around Ljubljana, Maribor and Celje, seizing tens of kilos of various illegal drugs, equipment to make and package drugs, precursors, marijuana growing equipment and illegal weapons and ammunition, as well as EUR 150,000 in proceeds from drug sales.
The investigation was steered by the Ljubljana District Prosecutor Office and led by the Ljubljana Criminal Police. It featured close cooperation with the Croatian police, as well as police forces from other European countries.
A total of 460 criminal investigators and police officers from across the country took part in today's sting. The majority of suspects will be charged and brought in front of an investigative judge today, the press release says.
Most of the suspects have been previously involved in drug trafficking crimes or thefts.
