Operation in Sarajevo: Lawyers, notaries, council members detained

(Patria) - Police officers of the State Investigation and Protection Agency today, as part of the "Square" operation, in the area of Sarajevo, East Sarajevo, Pale and East Old Town, began searches of business and residential premises and movable property at several locations.

The mentioned activities are being carried out due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that the criminal offenses of "Organized Crime", "Abuse of Office or Authority", "Illegal Trade", "Forgery of Documents", "Fraud", "Tax Evasion", "Receiving a Reward or Other Benefit for Trading in Influence", "Giving a Reward or Other Benefit for Trading in Influence", "Aiding the Perpetrator After the Commission of a Criminal Offense", and "Money Laundering" prescribed by the Criminal Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been committed.

Police officers of SIPA will, concurrently with the searches of business and residential premises and movable property, carry out activities prescribed by the Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorist Activities of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

So far, several individuals have been detained, including notaries and lawyers. Elvis Hodžić, a council member in the Novi Grad Municipal Council, has been detained. Among those detained is notary Džemaludin Mutapčić. 

The searches are being conducted under the order of the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo and under the supervision of the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton, and in cooperation with police officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Zenica-Doboj Canton.