Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in the international operational action JAD: A total of 566 arrests in 26 countries

(Patria) - In the period from 13 to 18.11.2023, law enforcement agencies across Europe joined forces to undertake activities within the framework of the joint EMPACT action days in Southeast Europe (EMPACT JAD SEE), targeting arms trafficking, drugs, migrant smuggling, human trafficking, and high-risk criminal networks. A total of 26 countries across Europe, supported by Europol, Eurojust, Frontex, INTERPOL, and a number of international organizations, participated in these highly coordinated operational activities.

Bosnia and Herzegovina actively participated in the international operational action JAD, with the competent authorities as follows: Prosecutor's Office of BiH, Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH, State Investigation and Protection Agency, Border Police of BiH, Indirect Taxation Authority, Service for Foreigners' Affairs, Federal Police Administration, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, Police of Brčko District of BiH, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tuzla Canton, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Zenica-Doboj Canton, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Central Bosnia Canton, Ministry of Internal Affairs of West Herzegovina Canton, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton, and Ministry of Internal Affairs of Bosniak-Podrinje Canton.

The overall activities at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina were coordinated by the National Joint Contact Point for Cooperation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with EUROPOL (hereinafter: NJCP), which started its work on 14.06.2023.

Activities were carried out throughout the country and were implemented according to previously determined priorities during the intelligence phase of the operational action (at border crossings, checkpoints in the interior, routes, cities, settlements, etc.) in accordance with the individual operational plans of the police agencies. Members of the Border Police of BiH carried out intensified checks of vehicles and persons at border crossings (GP Gradiška, GP Rača, GP Bijača, GP Klobuk, and GP Izačić) in cooperation with the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH, which carried out checks on the movement of goods.

During the implementation of the operational action JAD, a National Coordination Center was established at the NJCP level, which, in cooperation with representatives of police agencies and competent authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, coordinated the overall activities in our country and submitted reports to Europol according to the established dynamics.

We remind you that the joint EMPACT action days are planned based on an intelligence-led approach, whereby police, customs, immigration, and border control agencies joined forces. Spain coordinated the operational activities, and Europol coordinated the exchange of operational information between the involved parties.

The joint EMPACT action days consisted of intensive checks at the external borders of the EU and special operations in the participating countries.

The intelligence-led approach and cross-border operational cooperation involved the joint work of over 22,000 officers from the participating countries. During the implementation of the operational action in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 3485 police officers participated. Bosnia and Herzegovina (NJCP) also had its representative in the Central Command Operations Center established in Skopje (North Macedonia), from where the overall operation was coordinated, to facilitate international cooperation and respond to operational needs on the ground.

The exchange of information led to the opening of a total of 121 new cases against criminal networks. Europol coordinated the exchange of operational information and supported operational coordination. It also sent experts to the field to provide real-time analytical support to officers on the ground.

Europol's "Mobile Office" operated in the territory of BiH, enabling rapid checks in Europol's available databases in real-time. An Europol officer with the "Mobile Office", accompanied by NJCP officers, was engaged at targeted border crossings in BiH.

Global results of the EMPACT JAD 2023 operational action: 22,488 officers involved, 163 investigations launched, a total of 288,774 entities checked, 215,273 persons checked, 67,277 vehicles checked, 5225 postal shipments/parcels, 999 objects searched, 2229 illegal entries detected, 566 arrests (of which 218 related to migrant smuggling, 186 related to drug trafficking, 69 related to firearms trafficking, 89 related to other criminal offenses), 114 forged documents detected.


Seizures include 310 pieces of weapons (84 pieces of automatic weapons, 65 pistols, 59 rifles, 22 mortars, 16 revolvers, 7 carbines, 6 shotguns, 4 pieces of modified weapons, 2 air rifles, 42 pieces of other weapons), 20,206 rounds of ammunition, almost a ton of drugs, including 626 kg of cocaine, almost 300 kg of cannabis, heroin, and marijuana stalks.

Regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the implementation of the JAD operational action, 3485 police officers were engaged, during which 14,600 different entities were controlled.

Within the framework of the operational action in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 36 persons were deprived of their liberty or other measures restricting movement were taken against them for committing various criminal offenses or misdemeanors,