After interviewing the suspects, the case prosecutor of the Section for Combating Human Trafficking and Illegal Migrations submitted to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina a motion to order the following suspects into custody:

1.     Sadat Afgan (24), born in Ningahar, Afghanistan, citizen of Afghanistan,

2.     Mohammad Karim Malang, known as “Malang” (23), born in Paktia, Afghanistan, citizen of Afghanistan.

The custody measure was proposed due to the risk of flight of the suspects who are foreign citizens and who would become unavailable to the Prosecutors Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina by leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as due to the risk that by remaining at large they could obstruct the investigation, conceal evidence and exert influence on witnesses or accomplices, all in accordance with Article 132 (1) (a) and (b) of the Criminal Procedure Code of BiH.

The aforementioned suspects are under investigation by the BiH Prosecutor’s Office and partner law enforcement agencies. It is alleged against them that they, together with other persons-foreign nationals known to them, organised a group in mid-2023 for committing criminal offences of human smuggling in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was active until the moment of their deprivation of liberty (18 January 2024). Within the group, they illegally received and smuggled illegal migrants who would come to Bosnia and Herzegovina and organised their illegal transport to the Republic of Croatia and EU countries.

They are also charged with having abducted three foreign nationals several days ago near the migrant camp in Blažuj by using physical force and firearms. They abducted them, kept them in various facilities and filmed them in such a state in order to extort a ransom of EUR 10,000 from their families and close people who are outside Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The injured parties were found and taken care of by the police and competent services, after which the suspects were deprived of their freedom.

The suspects are charged with the following crimes:

- Organised crime set out in Article 250 (2) of the Criminal Code of BiH

- Smuggling of people set out in Article 189 (1) of the Criminal Code of BiH

- Illicit possession of weapons or explosive substances set out in Article 371 of the Criminal Code of the Federation of BiH,

- Kidnapping set out in Article 180 of the Criminal Code of the Federation of BiH,

- Extortion set out in Article 295 of the Criminal Code of the Federation of BiH,

- Slight bodily injury set out in Article 173 of the Criminal Code of the Federation of BiH.

The motion to order custody measure was sent to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.