In a police action aimed at detecting and proving abuses, malfeasance and illegality in the procedure of taking driving tests in the territory of the municipality of Novi Grad, eight persons were arrested, including one police officer, the Ministry of Internal Affairs /MUP/ of the Republika Srpska announced.
These persons were arrested as part of the operation code-named “Target”, which was carried out today by members of the MUP Directorate for organized and serious crime in the area of Novi Grad, Prijedor and Kostajnica.
“Under the supervision of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic, the Special Department for Suppression of Corruption, Organized and the Most Serious Forms of Economic Crime and by order of the District Court of Banjaluka, searches were carried out at 13 locations, according to the announcement.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs added that the action “Target” lasts for a longer period and is aimed at discovering and proving abuses, malfeasance and illegality in the procedure of taking driving tests in the territory of the municipality of Novi Grad.
The press release points out that the investigation established that there are grounds for suspicion that certain owners of driving schools, together with certain members of the examination commission, have been enabling candidates to take driving tests in an illegal manner, with monetary compensation, for a long period of time.
“Thus, they committed the criminal acts of committing a criminal act as part of a criminal association, abuse of official position or authority, and trading in influence,” the announcement states.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs emphasized that based on the evidence collected so far, there are grounds for doubting that dozens of people acquired it in this way the right to drive a motor vehicle, and that among them there were persons who, in the territory of other municipalities and examination commissions, did not even meet the general health requirements for drivers, did not possess the necessary knowledge in the field of traffic regulations, and some are suspected of being illiterate.
The action was carried out in cooperation with the Prijedor Police Department and the MUP of the Una-Sana Canton.
At the end of the activity, persons deprived of their liberty will be brought to the prosecutor along with a report on the crime committed, the statement added.
The announcement stated that several persons are the subject of the investigation.
