Between 23 September and 7 October 2008, the Slovenian police, together with the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (Frontex) carried out a second joint operation, called Kras 2008, modelled after the first such operation organised in Slovenia last year.

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The purpose of the 15-day joint operation was the prevention of illegal immigration on a part of the external border of the EU, which is very attractive because of its proximity to the Italian border. It was also an opportunity to examine our effectiveness in the protection of the southern Schengen border.

The operation was carried out on the part of land border with Croatia protected by the Police Directorate Postojna (Police Station Cerknica and Police Station Ilirska Bistrica) and the Police Directorate Koper (Police Station Piran, Police Station Kozina and Police Station Koper).

kras 259Slovenian and foreign participants in front of the Police Station in Piran


Together with Slovenian police officers from police units in the area of the Police Directorate Koper and the Police Directorate Postojna, the operation also included 15 foreign police officers, two members of the Austrian, German, Bulgarian and Romanian border police or guard each, and one member of Italian, Hungarian and Portuguese border police or guard each, who performed national border protection tasks.

kras 255Introductory meeting at the Police Station in Piran


The Slovenian side also included the Specialised Unit for State Border Control and Police Aviation Unit of the Uniformed Police Directorate at the General Police Directorate.

kras04In front of a Slovenian police helicopter


The operations also included for the first time four members of the Croatian police, with which the Frontex agency signed a cooperation agreement in April. The second half of the joint operation also included 22 members of the air unit of the German Federal Police, who participated with two Eurocopter EC 155 helicopters.

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kras02 A German Federal Police helicopter (above) with police officers (below)
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The joint operation was concluded successfully, as nine illegal refugees were found and apprehended. The police officers also dealt with cases of drug, cigarette and firearms smuggling. Two cars stolen abroad were also found in the operation.