The system was installed at the Forensic Centre "Ivan Vucetic" in Zagreb and connected to the police departments in Pula, Rijeka, Osijek, Split and Zagreb.
Funds amounting to 20 million kuna have been invested so far in this project, which was launched in 1999, and they are expected to continue rising because the system will be further developed in police departments and on border crossings, the head of the Forensic Centre, Gordan Mrsic, said.
Although Croatia is among the last European countries to introduce this system, Croatian police officials say that this is currently the most modern system in Europe. It can search the entire fingerprint database in a few minutes and produce 15 fingerprints that resemble the sought sample the most.
The AFIS system is expected to help solve 15-20% of unsolved crimes.
It can also be used in the identification of missing persons and persons who have lost their documents, and it will facilitate communication with European police forces and members of Interpol, police officials said.
The introduction of the system was one of the conditions for Croatia's full membership in the European Union.