New details of the Split affair: a policeman for a drug gang came to the station in the middle of the year for secret information

A new investigation has revealed further details about a corruption case in Split involving a police officer who allegedly shared confidential information with members of a narcotics gang during his annual leave. According to reports, the officer, identified as a 44-year-old member of the Police Department for Criminal Investigations and Security (PNUSKOK), was suspected of providing data on vehicle owners to a man linked to a criminal network associated with the sale of drugs. The allegations emerged following a complaint filed against three individuals, including the officer, by authorities. The investigation, initiated by the police inspectorate, suggests that the officer agreed to a request from his 44-year-old cousin to check records in the Ministry of Interior’s database. The request, according to investigators, originated from a 41-year-old man who wanted to determine whether certain vehicles were being used by police officers monitoring individuals connected to drug trafficking and whether he and his associates were under police surveillance. The suspect officer, despite knowing that access to the information system was restricted to authorized personnel, reportedly visited his workplace on March 5, 2021, during his annual leave, conducted the verification, and transmitted the results to his cousin. This information was then passed on to the 41-year-old man. Following the completion of the investigation, two other suspects, aged 38 and 44—were placed under preventive detention, while the 41-year-old had already been detained in a correctional facility. The police have informed the court that they will propose to the judge overseeing the case the imposition of investigative detention for one of the accused, while another will face a measure of caution restricting business activities. Earlier this week, the police and the inspectorate arrested two individuals, including the accused police officer, in Split. According to unofficial sources, investigators analyzed encrypted communications from the SKY ECC platform and traced the officer to having previously checked vehicle registrations and reported information about vehicles owned by members of the Benzona drug gang. Benzona and Hrvoje Kelić, known as Medo, are charged with organizing a criminal group that trafficked and sold large quantities of drugs in Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina between 2020 and 2021. An indictment filed in April of this year alleges that the group generated nearly 1.8 million euros in illegal profits through the sale of various types of drugs. The case highlights the ongoing efforts by Croatian law enforcement to dismantle organized crime networks operating within the country and beyond its borders. As the legal proceedings continue, the focus remains on uncovering more connections and ensuring justice is served for victims of these illicit activities.