Joint Police Operation (JPO) Europe 2013
Tackling stolen vehicles trafficking from the EU to the Balkans was the aim of the JPO carried out from 26 to 28 September 2013.
The operation was led by the Italian police and saw the participation of law enforcement authorities from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, United Kingdom, Romania, Slovenia and Hungary and - among non-EU countries - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Serbia.
All law enforcement authorities involved were active on a 24-hour basis during the three-day police operation, both in Italy and abroad. The action was strictly planned and started only after a careful analysis of the trafficking flows aimed to identify the most important crossroads and storage areas, the major roads and ports on the Adriatic coast involved, as well as the affected Balkan land borders.
The Balkans were identified as the transit and final destination countries of the stolen vehicles, namely luxury cars, buses, trucks, construction machinery, including spare parts.
Operational and technological support was provided also by international agencies, such as EULEX, Eurojust, Frontex and Interpol, which took part in the operation.
Police carried out 328 000 checks and 49 people were arrested on charges ranging from receiving of stolen goods to aiding illegal immigration. Other 3400 people were reported to the judicial and administrative authorities for violations of legislation on drugs, weapons, documents and vehicles.
The law enforcement activity resulted in the seizure of 129 stolen vehicles with an estimated value of almost 2 million euros.