Thirteen heads, commanders and chiefs of police stations in southeastern Macedonia have been dismissed from duty, Interior Minister Gordana Jankuloska said on Saturday.

Last weekend, the police arrested 23 people in Vinica and Kocani during an operation dubbed "Detonator". The people are suspected of being involved in majority of cases concerning violations of public order and peace and organized crime in the regions of Kocani and Vinica.

Police are investigating whether and why the dismissed police chiefs failed to launch actions to put an end to the criminal activities closed by the Interior Ministry with "Detonator".

The operation is still under way. Minister Jankuloska said that all those proven to be involved would be punished "without exception".