PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE OF BIH FILED A MOTION FOR REMAND IN CUSTODY AND ORDER OF PROHIBITING MEASURES FOR THE SUSPECTS IN THE OPERATION ‘MASK’

A Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, having questioned the suspects, filed a motion with the Court of BiH for remand in custody and order of prohibiting measures for the suspects in two cases i.e. drug trafficking and smuggling of cigarettes.

In the first case, the Prosecutor of the Special Department for Organized Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption within the BiH Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion for remand in custody for a period of one month (30 days) of the following suspects:

- Sulejman Beriša (1983) from Ključ, BiH citizen, employed as a police officer in the Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska,

- Ranko Vučinić (1966) from Trebinje, BiH citizen,

- Mersudin Mešković (1986) from Tuzla, BiH citizen, employed as a police officer in the RS Ministry of Interior, and

- Mirko Ateljević (1992) from Trebinje, BiH citizen.

Remand in custody of the suspects has been requested for the reasons described in Article 132 (1), (b) of the CPC BiH i.e. the risk that, if released, the suspects could hinder the investigation, suppress evidence or influence witnesses or accomplices.

For the following suspects:

- Saša Pešić (1991) from Trebinje, BiH citizen, and

- Ostoja Radišković (1982) from Derventa, BiH citizen, a police officer of the RS MoI,

the Prosecutor filed a motion for order of prohibiting measures referred to in Article 126 and 126a (1) (d) of the CPC BiH, i.e. house arrest and travel ban, ban on use of ID card to cross the border and the obligation of reporting to the competent police authority at the place of residence once a week.

Another measure - prohibition from performing official activities was requested for the suspect Ostoja Radišković under Article 126a (1) (a) of the CPC BiH.

The suspects are accused of having committed the criminal offense Organized Crime under Article 250 in conjunction with Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs under Article 195 of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the suspects Saša Pešić and Ostoja Radišković are suspected of having committed the criminal offense of Conspiracy to Perpetrate a Criminal Offense under Article 247 of the CC BiH

Within the scope of case II, the Prosecutor filed a motion for remand in custody for a period of one month (30 days) of the suspects:

- Gojko Škrba, (1969) from Berkovići,

- Slavko Stolica (1972) from Bileća,

- Miroslav Stajić (1983) from Bileća, and

- Rade Vujović (1969) from Bileća.

The Prosecutor filed a motion for remand in custody of the suspect Gojko Škrba for the reasons stipulated in Article 132 (1) (b) and (c) of the CPC BiH i.e. the risk that the suspect, if released, might hinder the investigation and influence witnesses in order to disrupt collection of evidence and the investigation, but also due to risk that the suspect will repeat the criminal offense he was charged with.

In terms of Stajić and Vujović remand in custody and issuance of an international arrest warrant were requested due to grounded suspicion that they have committed the criminal offense of Organized Crime under Article 250, in conjunction with Smuggling of Goods under Article 214 of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In terms of Dejan Lisov (1992) from Bileća - BiH citizen, a motion was filed for order of prohibiting measures under Article 126 and Article 126a. (1) (d) of the CPC BiH i.e. house arrest and travel ban, ban on use of ID card to cross the border, and the obligation of reporting to the relevant police authority at the place of residence once a week.

Motion for remand in custody and order of prohibiting measures was submitted to the Court of BiH and the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to investigate the case.