CUSTODY AND PROHIBITING MEASURES PROPOSED AGAINST FOUR PERSONS ARRESTED IN ‘GOLDEN KARAT’ ACTION

In the course of this action, more than one hundred (100) kilograms of gold, silver and jewellery was seized, the total value of which exceeds 3.5 million BAM.  

Having questioned the suspects, the Prosecutor from the Special Department for Organised Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina in charge of the case will put forward a Motion with the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, seeking that custody be ordered against three (3) suspects. The measure of custody will be requested for the reasons set forth in Article 132, items a) and b) of the Criminal Procedure Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina, namely, due to the risk of flight and the danger that, if at large, the suspects might hinder the inquiry, conceal evidence and influence witnesses or accessories.

In regard to one of the suspects, a prohibiting measure will be proposed, which includes a ban from meeting with suspects and witnesses in this case.  

As part of the large-scale operation codenamed ‘Golden Karat’, which was being conducted during the past two days at around sixty (60) locations throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, the joint work of several police agencies and tax institutions resulted in seizures of around sixty (60) kilograms of gold, forty-five (45) kilograms of silver, around two thousand (2000) pieces of various jewellery in the value of more than 3.5 million BAM, and money in the amount of 60 000 BAM and 40 000 EUR, along with six (6) pistols and several seals used for marking the jewellery.

The persons subject to investigation are suspected of the smuggling of large quantities of gold and silver jewellery, as well as of the evasion of customs and tax duties and distribution of the jewellery on an illegal market in violation of the legally prescribed and set procedures.

The Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina would like to thank the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ITA BiH) and all the police agencies and tax administration offices that took part in the joint ‘Golden Karat’ action.