Croatian police have participated in a Europol operation led by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), which resulted in the recovery in several countries of over 500 stolen cars, 16 boats and 2,000 stolen vehicle parts, the Police Directorate said on Friday.

During Operation Mobile 6, carried out last month, Croatian police officers seized five vehicles, located one stolen vehicle and seized 16 used vehicle parts.

In addition, they conducted 2,259 detailed vehicle checks and 19 international exchanges of operational data, seized 9 traffic licences and number plates, and discovered 10 migrants evading border controls and 34 perpetrators of cross-border crimes.

The Police Directorate said that cooperation had been established with several countries and Interpol, thanks to which the Croatian police had discovered a stolen vehicle even before it was entered in the search records. The police seized the vehicle and arrested the perpetrators, and the vehicle was returned to its owner in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Operation Mobile 6 took place in October 2023 at the external land borders of the EU, as well as at border points in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

The operation involved around 400 police officers from 25 countries who carried out detailed checks at several locations, while Europol and Interpol supported the Frontex-led operation by providing expertise and access to their databases.

This collaboration enabled the recovery of 505 stolen cars, around 2,000 stolen vehicle parts, 16 boats, 32 outboard engines and 248 forged documents. In addition, the participating authorities identified 209 migrant smugglers.