MOTION FOR REMAND IN CUSTODY FILED FOR THREE PERSONS DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY IN THE OPERATION CODENAMED "GAS"

A Prosecutor of the Special Department for Organized Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH having questioned the suspects filed a motion to the Court of BiH to remand the following persons into custody:

1. Zdravko Jurković, born on March 16, 1958 in Stolac, a citizen of BiH and Croatia,

2. Mladenka Ostojić, born on June 17, 1968 in Čapljine, citizen of BiH and Croatia.

3. Šimo Šljivić, born on October 2, 1979 in Kakanj, citizen of BiH and Croatia.

The suspects are under investigation in a case involving an operation codenamed "Gas", which is a joint operation of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH and USKOK /Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime/ from Croatia.

These activities are the result of a several months long thorough investigation carried out by the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH and USKOK, in cooperation with police agencies from the two countries, and it concerns the criminal offense of smuggling of narcotic drugs, which has directly affected the security in the European Union area.

The aforementioned persons are under investigation for the criminal offenses of Organized Crime under Article 250 and Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs under Article 195 of the CC BiH and are suspected of involvement in smuggling large quantities of Marijuana - "Skunk" from the territory of BiH into Croatian territory and further to EU countries.

As part of the ongoing investigation, it was determined that the suspects were involved in the smuggling of at least 70 kilograms of narcotic drugs, of which more than 50 kilograms were discovered and seized in coordinated activities of police agencies in BiH and Croatia.

The value of seized drugs on the illegal drug market exceeds Euro 100,000.

Remand in custody has been requested on grounds stipulated in Article 132, Paragraphs a), b) and c) of the CPC BiH i.e. remand in custody was requested due to risk of flight; the risk that, if released, the suspects might interfere with the investigation, suppress evidence or exert influence on witnesses or accomplices, as well as the risk that if released the suspects might repeat the criminal offense.

Motion for remand in custody was submitted to the Court of BiH.