OPERATION ‘‘TWINS 1’’ COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONTINUES

The operation involved significant international cooperation with institutions in Germany and Austria. Two persons were deprived of liberty in the area of Ilidža.

The Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with the State Investigation and Protection Agency - SIPA, continued with the activities within the operation ‘‘Twins 1’’ which is focused on the discovery and prosecution of perpetrators of human trafficking for sexual exploitation.

After several months of intensive investigation, this morning in the municipality of Centar two suspects were deprived of liberty. Following the police procedure the persons will be handed over for questioning to the Assigned Prosecutor.

Activities were carried out in a coordinated cooperation with the police and judicial authorities of Germany and Austria, and the suspects are under investigation for criminal offenses of Trafficking in Persons, Enticing to Prostitution and Money Laundering.

After questioning the suspects, the Prosecutor will decide on further actions against the suspects pursuant to the law.

Evidence was collected that the suspects took advantage of the difficult social and material status of the victims, women and girls from BiH and Croatia, recruited them and transported to Austria and Germany to prostitute for their organization, thus obtaining large unlawful property gains.

This international operation demonstrates the determination of judicial and police authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the fight against human trafficking, as well as equal cooperation of our institutions in international operations with EU countries.