Kosovo police detains 59 officers in bribery probe

PRISTINA, Kosovo – Kosovo police say they have detained 59 officers following a four-month investigation of suspected bribery.

The focus of Monday’s arrests was in Mitrovica, where most of the ethnic Serb minority lives. In total they detained 35 Albanian policemen, 23 Serb officers and one Bosnian suspected of accepting or soliciting bribes. They also were suspended from duty.

Police officials said at a news conference that charges also would be lodged against 30 citizens who have allegedly offered bribes.

The government hailed the crackdown as showing the “uncompromised commitment of the Kosovo institutions in the fight against organized crime and corruption.”

Fighting corruption remains a priority in Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008.