Operation 'Profit': Suspects' accounts blocked with 5.7 million KM

(Patria) - The State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) today provided details regarding the operational action codenamed "Profit", during which 14 individuals were apprehended due to grounds for suspicion of committing the criminal offense of "Organized Crime" under Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in conjunction with the criminal offenses of "Fraud in Business Operations" under Article 251, "Money Laundering" under Article 272, "Fraud" under Article 294, and "Abuse of Office or Authority" under Article 383 of the same law.

Searches were conducted on individuals, residential and business premises, and movable property at 35 locations in Sarajevo, Breza, and Travnik, used by 16 individuals and nine legal entities. During these searches, 744,800.00 EUR, 89,400.00 KM, 10,800.00 KN, and 13,700.00 RSD were discovered and temporarily seized, along with extensive documentation and other items that will serve as evidence in the criminal proceedings.

By undertaking measures and actions within its jurisdiction, SIPA police officers temporarily suspended the disposal of funds amounting to 1,988,900.44 in KM currency and 1,884,007.40 in EUR currency, located in the accounts of 19 individuals.

The apprehended individuals were questioned and processed at SIPA premises, after which 12 individuals were detained for 24 hours, and their handover to the further jurisdiction of the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton began.

"We thank the Intelligence-Security Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs, police officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Central Bosnia Canton, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Zenica-Doboj Canton, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton, as well as the Public Institution Health Center of Sarajevo Canton, for the assistance provided during the execution of this operation," stated SIPA.

According to media reports, Zijad Blekić, Smiljka Jusufranić, Edin Muftić, Hasan Ćelam, Muharem Hajrić, Branislav Petrović, Armin Mulahusić, Daver Halilbegović, Alen Murguz, Naser Daca, Edin Dizdar, and Jasmin Jusufranić were transferred to the Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton.