OPERATION CODENAMED “ROUTE” CONDUCTED ON ORDER OF THE PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE OF BIH

Activities relate to the detection and prosecution of perpetrators of criminal offences of organised smuggling of cattle across the Drina River from the territory of the Republic of Serbia to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Acting on the order of a prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, police officers of the RS Ministry of Interior are conducting searches and apprehending suspects in the areas of Bratunac and Podrinje.

These activities within the operation codenamed “Route”, refer to a group of six suspects who are under investigation and are charged with having smuggled large quantities of cattle from the territory of the Republic of Serbia to Bosnia and Herzegovina over a period of several months, acting as an organised group, by boats and vessels, from secret places across the Drina River, thus avoiding customs and veterinary control measures when importing cattle into BiH, which were further smuggled and sold to individuals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, all for the purpose of acquiring illicit property gain.

Also, in one part of the investigation, the suspects are charged with having smuggled illegal migrants from the territory of Serbia to BiH.

As part of the operation, searches are being conducted with the aim of gathering evidence and documenting the committed criminal offences.

After the activities have been completed, the prosecutor working on the case will decide on further activities in the case.

The suspects under investigation are charged with the criminal offences of Association for Committing Criminal Offences under Article 249, Smuggling under Article 214 and Smuggling of Persons under Article 189 of the Criminal Code of BiH.