In 24 hours, 35 people were arrested: among them assistants of municipalities and local communities

In the continuation of the anti-corruption operation, members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Criminal Police Directorate, the Anti-Corruption Department, on the order of the Special Anti-Corruption Department of the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Kraljevo, arrested 35 people, due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that they had committed criminal acts of abuse of office, influence peddling and money laundering.

Among the arrested are Z. R. (1962), former assistant to the president of the municipality of Brus, de facto responsible person and authorized person of PD "Gandi light" d.o.o., Razbojna, due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that he committed criminal acts of influence peddling and abuse of official position, M. R. (1987), owner and responsible person of "Gandi light" due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that he committed the criminal offense of abuse of official position in assisting, M. M. (1968), owner entrepreneurial shop for the production of metal products, Razbojna, due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that he committed the criminal acts of abuse of official position in helping and money laundering, as well as V. E. (1980), president of the Local Community Ravni, due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that he committed the criminal acts of abuse of official position and money laundering.

D. B. (1956), owner of an electrical goods store in Kruševac, G. R. (1970), owner of PR "Tip-top" Brus, R. R. (1956), authorized person of PR "Rilex" Lepenac, Brus, and D. T. (1970), owner of a metal machining shop from Brus, were arrested due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that they committed the crime of abuse of official position in helping.

Another 27 presidents of local communities on the territory of the Brus municipality were arrested in the operation, while criminal charges will be filed against two of them in regular proceedings, due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that they committed the crime of abuse of office.

• The arrest of suspects for malfeasance with public procurement at the VMA is in progress
• Four more fictitious farm owners arrested in the "Tikić" affair
• Police on their feet - a major arrest in Nis VIDEO

It is suspected that Z.R., as an assistant to the president of the municipality of Brus, with the intention of obtaining an illegal financial benefit for himself, used his official position and exceeded the limits of his official powers and thereby enabled PD "Gandi light", contrary to the law and the decision of the municipality of Brus, in the period from 2018 to 2020 to carry out works on the maintenance of public lighting in the territory of the local communities of the municipality of Brus, while at the same time using his social and real influence to mediate with the presidents of the local communities of the municipality of Brus to sign the decisions and contracts for the performance of works in front of local communities allegedly with PD "Gandi light", without public procurement procedures, which were paid from the budget of the municipality of Brus.

Suspect Z.R. was assisted in the commission of criminal acts by his son M.R., as the owner and formally responsible person of PD "Gandi light", and M.M., who collected and delivered false bids, concluded contracts for the performance of works with local communities and authorized Z.R. to dispose of funds on the account of this company, and then disposed of the money with the knowledge that the money came from criminal activity.