Border Police of BiH operation to dismantle migrant smuggling group

(Patria) - Police officers of the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina began implementing activities this morning under the operational action code-named "Pyramid", aimed at preventing organized migrant smuggling.

Searches are being conducted at multiple locations in the Una-Sana Canton, ZDC and Sarajevo Canton, at a total of 16 locations in Bihać, Cazin, Breza, Visoko, Sarajevo, Kakanj and Velika Kladuša. So far, 14 persons have been found who are suspected of committing the criminal offense of "Organizing a group or association for the commission of the criminal offense of migrant smuggling" under Article 189a of the Criminal Code of BiH, in connection with the criminal offense of "Smuggling of Persons" under Article 189 of the Criminal Code of BiH, who were part of an international organized criminal group and who, in the last six months, attempted to smuggle or smuggled over 600 persons, including over 100 minors, across the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to preliminary data, this international organized criminal group, in the past six months, has realized a financial gain of over six million convertible marks.

The activities, led by the Border Police of BiH organizational unit for the prevention of cross-border organized crime, are being carried out together with the Criminal Police Directorate of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Croatia and EUROPOL, under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH. Today's support in the implementation, involving over 150 police officers, was provided by police officers of the Ministry of Interior of the Una-Sana Canton, while during the investigation, continuous support to the Border Police of BiH was provided by the Intelligence and Security Agency of BiH and the Service for Foreigners' Affairs.

The Border Police of BiH continues to take measures to prevent the commission of criminal offenses of human smuggling, especially against organized criminal groups. In addition to the aforementioned activities, during the last year and the first three months of this year, police officers of the Border Police of BiH submitted 83 official reports against 177 persons to the competent prosecutor's offices due to grounds for suspicion that they committed 110 criminal offenses of human smuggling.