BY ORDER OF THE BIH PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE, AN ANTICORRUPTION OPERATION IS UNDERWAY; SEVERAL POLICE AND CUSTOMS OFFICERS WERE ARRESTED.

Acting on the order of a Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, police officers of SIPA, in cooperation with the RS Ministry of Interior and the Police of the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina, are conducting an operation codenamed "Divič". The activities are aimed at prosecuting corrupt criminal offenses linked with the illegal importation of large quantities of various goods, mainly from the territory of the Republic of Serbia into Bosnia and Herzegovina.


 

Searches and arrests are being carried out in the area of Bijeljina and Brčko District of BiH, and among the suspects are four customs officers of the ITA BiH, two police officers of the RS MoI and two policemen of the Border Police of BiH.

The suspects are charged with illegal behavior and failure to implement the necessary measures prescribed by law during the import of large quantities of goods delivered by trucks, mostly from the Republic of Serbia into the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina and vice versa.

In this way, by giving gifts or other forms of benefits and by abusing authority, illegal imports of goods were carried out without customs registration and payment of import duties prescribed by law, and the perpetrators obtained a significant unlawful property gain.

The suspects are, inter alia, charged with criminal offenses of Organized Crime, in conjunction with Smuggling of Goods, Abuse of Office or Official Authority, Lack of Commitment in Office, Giving and Accepting Gifts and Other Forms of Benefits, as well as Bribery.

The Assigned Prosecutor and his team coordinate the work of police officers out in the field, and after the activities have been completed, they will make a decision on further activities in the case.