OPERATION WITHIN FIGHT AGAINST INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT FOR PROSTITUTION CARRIED OUT IN THE BANJA LUKA AREA BY ORDER OF THE BIH PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

The victims of the criminal offences are female Brazilian citizens, who the two suspected persons exploited for sexual exploitation, in which way the latter achieved a large unlawful financial gain. During the implementation of the operation, two victims were discovered and taken care of, and the exact number of injured victims is being determined.

A prosecutor from the Section for Combating Human Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings coordinated the activities of police officers of the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs related to the deprivation of liberty and searches of premises used by persons suspected of international recruitment for prostitution.

According to the collected evidence, the international recruitment and enticement into prostitution was carried out by bringing foreign women to BiH and was most often carried out in rented apartments in the Banja Luka area.

In the above-mentioned way, the suspects achieved unlawful financial gain and used and exploited the persons they recruited to provide sexual services for monetary compensations they had previously agreed upon. The investigation has shown that this is a well-organised group that has been operating in the EU territory for the purpose of exploiting and enticing into prostitution foreign citizens coming from outside the EU.

The suspects are charged with the criminal offence of International enticing into prostitution under Article 187 of the Criminal Code of BiH and the criminal offence of Soliciting to prostitution under Article 169 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Srpska.

The Prosecutor’s Office of BiH is continuing the investigation in this case, and in the coming period, in order to collect information and evidence, it will cooperate and use the capacities and resources of the Intelligence-Security Agency of BiH (OSA) and will also achieve international cooperation with EUROPOL, EUROJUST, and INTERPOL.

On the basis of mutual legal assistance, the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH will send to different countries several requests for the delivery of information.

The prosecutor in charge will make a decision on further activities in the case, which will ensure the smooth continuation of the investigation conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina with partner police agencies.