ON ORDER OF PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE OF BIH, OPERATION CODENAMED “BOAT” AIMED AT FIGHT AGAINST SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS AND SMUGGLING OF GOODS WITH CORRUPTIVE ELEMENTS CARRIED OUT

On an order of a Prosecutor from the Special Department for Organised Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, police officers of the BiH Border Police are carrying out an operation codenamed “BOAT”, aimed at searching and depriving a large number of individuals of their liberty.

Under the supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, police officers of the BiH Border Police are carrying out searches at several locations in BiH, which are used by suspects. A number of persons have been deprived of their liberty, including one BiH Border Police officer.

The mentioned persons are under investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH for a suspicion that the suspects, citizens of BiH, as members of an organised group, committed the criminal offence of association for committing criminal offences under Article 249 of the Criminal Code of BiH (CC BiH), in conjunction with the criminal offence of Smuggling of Persons under Article 189, Smuggling of Goods under Article 214 and Abuse of Office or Official Authority under Article 220 of the CC BiH.

The operation is aimed at breaking up organised groups engaged in smuggling people and smuggling of goods.

During the search, items that might serve as evidence of the commission of the criminal offences in criminal proceedings were temporarily seized.

After the operation, according to the instructions of the prosecutor, further actions will be taken against the suspects.

The implemented activities are part of the strategic measures taken in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the fight against organised illegal migration.