LARGE AMOUNT OF EXCISE GOODS SEIZED IN OPERATION OF BIH PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE AND SIPA

In a coordinated operation codenamed “Scooter”, carried out under the supervision of a prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, authorised SIPA police officers deprived six people of their liberty and discovered and seized a significant amount of cigarettes, money and other items used to commit the crime.

On the order of the prosecutor from the Special Department for Organised Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption an operation was carried out in Tuzla, Kalesija and Zvornik. It was aimed at several suspects who are under investigation that they, as an organised criminal group, were for a long time involved in illegal trade in cigarette without excise stamps, which they sold in the territory of BiH.

In the above-mentioned way, the suspects acquired a monetary gain in a larger amount, in the form of unpaid indirect taxes and excises to the detriment of the BiH budget.

During the search of several locations, a large quantity of cigarettes without excise stamps intended for sale on the black market, as well as a certain amount of money, were discovered and seized.

An investigator of the Special Department for Organised Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH is on the ground where he coordinates the work of police officers from SIPA, Tuzla Canton Ministry of Interior and Republika Srpska Ministry of Interior.

Persons under investigation within the said case are suspected of criminal offences of Organised crime (Article 250 of the Criminal Code of BiH) and Illicit Trade in Excise Products (Article 210a of the Criminal Code of BiH).

Upon completion of operational activities, the case prosecutor will make a decision on further activities in the case.