Police chief on organized crime law

Police Chief Milorad Veljovic says the Law on Seizure of Assets Acquired through Criminal Gain is a test of the state’s determination to combat organized crime. “If the state shows its mettle there—both the Interior Ministry and the Justice Ministry—then that’s a good sign,” said Veljovic in an interview for Beta, adding that the formation of a financial investigation unit was under way that would be “the state’s spearhead in clamping down on crime." Police chief on organized crime law The law in question enters force on March 2. Veljovic said that the unit would work on the orders of the prosecution, and would record and identify all assets gained through organized crime. “That unit needs to be made up of exceptionally professional people and must have the backing of all organs, the whole state, and if it doesn’t, then the justification for its formation will be called into question,” said the police chief. He added that the unit would include people from the tax authorities, the customs service and anti-money laundering agencies. “Enabling the conditions for seizing assets acquired through criminal gain is the best prevention, because it will make everyone stop and think whether this kind of crime pays,” said Veljovic. Speaking of crime in Serbia, the police chief said that the majority of organized crime groups in the country were into drug trafficking, and that the money earned from these pursuits was then used to buy and build property. We’ve taken a cross-section of organized crime groups involved in the most serious crimes in order to monitor the security situation in the country,” he said, adding that the number of these groups was changing. Stating that the economic crisis would not bypass Serbia, Veljovic said that crime prospered in times of crisis, but that the police’s readiness to tackle crime depended on the extent of the problem. “The police alone cannot combat organized crime, we need cooperation with the Justice Ministry, the prosecution and the courts,” the police chief explained, adding that it was good that politics was “ever further from the police.” He said that the police had the support of the president, the government and the interior minister in getting to grips with organized and all other forms of crime, adding that the police would also combat crime within its own ranks. Milorad Veljovic (FoNet)

Police chief on organized crime law

The law in question enters force on March 2.

Veljović said that the unit would work on the orders of the prosecution, and would record and identify all assets gained through organized crime.

“That unit needs to be made up of exceptionally professional people and must have the backing of all organs, the whole state, and if it doesn’t, then the justification for its formation will be called into question,” said the police chief.

He added that the unit would include people from the tax authorities, the customs service and anti-money laundering agencies.

“Enabling the conditions for seizing assets acquired through criminal gain is the best prevention, because it will make everyone stop and think whether this kind of crime pays,” said Veljović.

Speaking of crime in Serbia, the police chief said that the majority of organized crime groups in the country were into drug trafficking, and that the money earned from these pursuits was then used to buy and build property.

We’ve taken a cross-section of organized crime groups involved in the most serious crimes in order to monitor the security situation in the country,” he said, adding that the number of these groups was changing.

Stating that the economic crisis would not bypass Serbia, Veljović said that crime prospered in times of crisis, but that the police’s readiness to tackle crime depended on the extent of the problem.

“The police alone cannot combat organized crime, we need cooperation with the Justice Ministry, the prosecution and the courts,” the police chief explained, adding that it was good that politics was “ever further from the police.”

He said that the police had the support of the president, the government and the interior minister in getting to grips with organized and all other forms of crime, adding that the police would also combat crime within its own ranks.