Prosecutor of the Special Department for Organized Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption within the Prosecutor's Office of BiH filed a motion to the Court of BiH to remand two persons, who are suspected of having committed the criminal offense of Organized Crime under Article 250 in conjunction with the criminal offense of Smuggling of Persons under Article 189, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of BiH, in custody.
Motion for custody was filed for the following suspects:
- A.S. (1975) from Prizren, a citizen of the Republic of Serbia, and
- H.A. (1978) from Zvornik, BiH citizen.
The suspects, for whom the assigned prosecutor requested custody, were deprived of liberty by authorized officers of the BiH Border Police and handed over to the Assigned Prosecutor within the legal deadline.
The suspects are charged to have, together with other persons - members of an organized criminal group that was formed for smuggling of persons in the aim of obtaining unlawful gain, repeatedly organized and prepared, during the period from December 20, 2012 to April 1, 2013, illegal transfer of foreign nationals, mostly Albanians from Kosovo, into the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia and further into Western European countries. Those foreign nationals did not meet the conditions for the legal entry and stay of migrants in other countries i.e. they were not nationals nor were they granted residence or stay.
After questioning the suspects, the Assigned Prosecutor filed a custody motion to the Court of BIH on grounds stipulated in Article 132, Paragraph 1, Subparagraphs a), b) and c) of the CPC BiH.
Remand in custody was, inter alia, requested due to circumstances which indicate a risk of flight, as well as grounded suspicion that the suspects, if released, would destroy and hide important evidence and clues in an effort to obstruct and prevent the criminal proceedings initiated against them, or would influence witnesses, accomplices and concealers, as well as due to grounded suspicion that the suspects, if released, would repeat some of the criminal offenses they are charged with.
Custody motion was filed to the Court of BiH and the Prosecutor's Office of BiH continues its investigation in the matter aiming to proceed with the indictment.