English
After suspending six police officers for suspected brutality during the arrest of two suspects, the Interior Ministry also filed charges against the arrested and an additional individual. The charges cover “obstructing an official in the performance of an official act” and “unauthorized production and distribution of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursors.”
The Ministry also released details regarding the events that transpired during the pursuit of the young men. Regarding the incident, which took place on October 7, 2026, at approximately 8:25 PM on Crnogorska Street in Skopje, the Ministry of Interior stated that police had set up an ambush for a BMW vehicle. This action followed the receipt of operational intelligence indicating that its occupants were engaged in the selling of marijuana. Upon receiving this information, police officers took appropriate measures and signaled for the BMW to stop.
As the police officers approached the vehicle to verify the occupants’ identities and conduct a search, the driver started the car, struck a utility pole, and simultaneously threw a bag containing marijuana out of the window. At that moment, one of the police officers drew his service pistol and, approaching the partially open window on the passenger side, issued the command: “Stop, police!” The individual on the passenger side then seized the officer’s service pistol, while the driver started the vehicle and fled the scene. Police officers stationed nearby pursued the vehicle, which was traveling at high speed along Gjorche Petrov Street toward the Skopje-Tetovo highway. The suspects ignored the police officers’ audible and visual signals, prompting one officer to fire three warning shots into the air. At one point, the BMW struck a highway median and spun around; the driver, P.A. (24), and the passenger, E.P. (21), then exited the vehicle. The individuals were taken into custody, the pistol was recovered, and a search of the area led to the discovery of a bag containing marijuana, according to the police.
In coordination with the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Skopje, the Violent Crime Unit of the Sector for Internal Affairs (SIA) Skopje filed criminal charges against E.P. and P.A. yesterday. …for the criminal offense of “preventing an official from performing an official act” under Article 382 of the Criminal Code, as well as “unauthorized production and placing on the market of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursors” under Article 215 of the Criminal Code. Furthermore, a criminal complaint has been filed against M.T.—who is believed to be linked to the case—for the criminal offense of “unauthorized production and placing on the market of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursors” under Article 215 of the Criminal Code.
The DUI party attempted to make the case political, given that the two arrested are ethnic Albanians. It was reported that the officer who led the arrest is also an Albanian.