This article is about the Syldavian secret police. For the Bordurian secret police, see ZEP.
ZEPO (Ze-Po, Zekrett Politzs) are the Syldavian secret police. It is a Syldavian intelligence agency similar to the MI6 and the CIA. (Syldavia is member of INTERPOL.)
The first, unnamed appearance of ZEPO was in King Ottokar's Sceptre, when their agent Kaviarovitch was investigating the plot against King Ottokar IV. He lost his memory after being knocked out by one of the Z.Z.R.K conspirators. He was later liquidated.
In their first appearance by name in Destination Moon, they are guarding the atomic centre where Professor Calculus's moon rocket is being developed and are resonsible for anti-sabotage precautions and counter-espionage . On that score the ZEPO have plenty to do. Despite all their precautions, certain powers know that they are building a moon-rocket and their spies are actively interested.
Some time later in The Calculus Affair, ZEPO learned of Professor Calculus's ultrasonic invention and, eager to get hold of it before their Bordurian counterpart ZEP, sent a spy to Marlinspike Hall. This attempt failed when their agent was discovered and shot by Bordurian agents. Later, ZEPO managed to successfully kidnap Calculus after an ambush on ZEP at the Bordurian Embassy, and successfully transferred him to an aircraft bound for Syldavia. They lost the professor again, however, when they were forced down when flying over Bordurian territory.