INTERNATIONAL ACTION ‘PYRAMID’ UNDERWAY IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA TO COMBAT ORGANIZED SMUGGLING OF MORE THAN 600 ILLEGAL MIGRANTS

A prosecutor from the Human Smuggling and Human Trafficking Section of the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina is conducting activities with police officers of the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the field, as part of an operation aimed at fighting international organized illegal migrations.

The operation codenamed ‘Pyramid’ is targeting several members of an international organized criminal group suspected of smuggling or attempting to smuggle more than 600 persons, including more than a hundred minors, which they were doing for a longer period of time in order to acquire large amounts of material benefits for themselves.

These activities are underway in the areas of Una-Sana Canton, Zenica-Doboj Canton and Sarajevo Canton, and the suspects are subject to investigation due to the perpetration of the criminal offence of Organizing a Group or Association for the Purpose of Perpetrating the Criminal Offence of ‘Smuggling of Migrants’, referred to in Article 189a of the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in conjunction with the criminal offence of Smuggling of Persons, referred to in Article 189 of the same Code.

In the process of conducting investigative activities in this case, significant cooperation has been achieved with the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia and EUROPOL, whereas the Intelligence and Security Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina are providing continuous support to the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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