CUSTODY MOTION FOR THE CITIZEN OF CROATIA SUSPECTED OF SMUGGLING CITIZEN OF TURKEY

As part of its activities, the BiH Border Police, in coordination with the duty prosecutor of the BiH Prosecutor’s Office, detected and deprived of liberty a citizen of the Republic of Croatia during a regular control at the international border crossing Šamac, who attempted to illegally transfer 30 citizens of the Republic of Turkey not meeting the legal requirements for entry into the Republic of Croatia.

The suspect Željko Kukec (1961), a citizen of the Republic of Croatia, was brought before the prosecutor in charge who, after interviewing him, submitted to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina a motion for ordering custody measure under Article 132 (1) (a) and b) of the Criminal Procedure Code of BiH, that is, due to the risk that the suspect might flee and the risk that by remaining at large he could obstruct the investigation, conceal evidence and influence witnesses or accomplices.

The aforementioned suspect is under investigation due to the founded suspicion that he committed the criminal offence of smuggling of persons defined in Article 189 of the Criminal Code of BiH, in conjunction with the criminal offence of attempt defined in Article 26 of the CC of BiH. He is suspected of illegally attempting to smuggle citizens of the Republic of Turkey across the state border in the cargo area of a heavy-duty motor vehicle while regularly transporting goods, in order to acquire unlawful property gain as per a prior agreement and for an agreed monetary compensation.

The Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with its partner institutions and agencies, implements activities related to the prosecution of criminal offences of smuggling in cities and areas throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina almost on a daily basis.