(SARAJEVO) - The European Union police force in Bosnia urged citizens Friday to use a telephone hotline to report crimes and help security forces in the Balkan country.

The campaign would focus on the fight against organised crime, the head of the EU police mission to Bosnia, Brigadier General Vincenzo Coppola, told reporters.

The EU police mission (EUPM) had "witnessed a number of operations in which information provided by the citizens played very important role," said Coppola.

One such case was the arrest earlier this year of Muhamed Ali Gasi, a prominent figure of the Sarajevo underworld who is currently on trial for organised crime.

Information provided by citizens also helped in an ongoing operation in which several police and civil servants were arrested for using illegal identity cards for criminal purposes, said Coppola.

EUPM took over supervision of police forces in post-war Bosnia in 2003. Its mandate includes providing assistance to the local police forces in their fight against organised crime.

Text and Picture Copyright 2008 AFP. All other Copyright 2008 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable.