CUSTODY AND PROHIBITING MEASURES MOVED FOR SUSPECTS OF ORGANISED CRIME AND HIGH CORRUPTION IN THE “TRANSPORTER” AND “STORAGE” CASES

The custody measure was requested due to the risk that the suspects might flee, the risk that if they remain at liberty they could obstruct the investigation, conceal evidence and exert influence on witnesses or accomplices, as well as repeat the criminal offence or complete the one that has been started.

In respect of the suspects:

-          ROBERT RADONIĆ, born in 1969 in Gradiška, citizen of BiH, OSA employee, and

-          MILOŠ LUKAJIĆ, born in 1989 in the town of Glamoč, citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, police officer employed with the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina,

the prosecutor in charge moved the ordering of custody and prohibition measures set out in Article 126 and 126a of the Criminal Procedure Code BiH /CPC BiH/, that is, the measures moved are the prohibition of leaving the place of residence, the prohibition of visiting certain places or areas, and the prohibition of meeting with certain individuals.

In addition, the measure of banning the performance of official activities under Article 126a (1) (a) of the CPC of BiH sis moved against the uspect Miloš Lukajić.

The suspects are accused of having committed criminal offences of organised crime, in conjunction with the criminal offence of illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs, illegal trafficking in excise goods, in conjunction with the criminal offence of smuggling.

The suspect Radonić is charged with the criminal offence of breaching the secrecy of the proceedings and the disclosure of secret information, while the suspect Lukajić is charged with the criminal offence of receiving a gift and other forms of benefit and the criminal offence of breaching the secrecy of the proceedings.

The elements of high corruption and misuse of capacities and resources of important state law enforcement institutions in order to acquire illegal property gain give special weight to the commission of the criminal offences.

As part of the investigative activities, information and evidence was gathered that the suspected persons, as members of an organised criminal group, had been committing organised crime offences for a long time, which were related to the smuggling and illicit trafficking in large quantities of narcotic drugs, as well as the smuggling of narcotic drugs from neighbouring countries for further resale in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and further distribution towards the illegal drug market of the EU countries and thus acquired unlawful financial gain, as well as persons who, by using their official position, helped these suspects not to be discovered by the prosecuting authorities by disclosing secret information to them.

The Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with its partner police institutions, is continuing the investigation with the aim of fully elucidating and documenting the illegal activities of the suspects and the execution of criminal offences in this case.

The custody motion was sent to the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where a hearing is expected to be scheduled based on the prosecution’s motion.