Serbian police seized over three tonnes of narcotics and arrested 670 drug dealers since the beginning of the year, Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said Sunday in Belgrade at a ceremony marking the Police Day.

“Interior Ministry staff took part in seven international operations, seizing six tonnes of drugs and arresting 36 persons,” said the minister, addressing the ceremony in front of the Palace of Serbia, which was attended by 400 junior police officers.

He assessed that the police were successfully carrying out all tasks, despite the crisis caused by the coronavirus epidemic.

“During the crisis, over 350,000persons crossed our borders, nearly 130,000 citizens asked for the police assistance in the delivery of food and medicines. We responded to almost 50,000 calls and emails, took care of nearly 100,000 citizens in self-isolation,” said Stefanovic.

2019 was the year with the lowest number of criminal offences in the last 25 years, while the crime rate dropped by 14 percent since the beginning of 2020, according to him.