Three Days After Incident, SIPA Not Informed of Attempt to Smuggle $250,000 Out of BiH

Customs officers of the Indirect Taxation Authority at Sarajevo Airport issued on October 16 a misdemeanor warrant to a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina with initials G. U., who attempted to illegally take 250,000 US dollars out of the country, writes the Bosnian news agency Patria.

G.U. was detained at Sarajevo Airport where he was waiting for a flight to Vienna.

- In agreement with the duty judge of the Municipal Court in Sarajevo, the said person was, according to the Law on Foreign Exchange Misdemeanors of the Federation of BiH, fined 1,500 KM, which was paid on the spot. After the payment of the fine, the money was returned to the person who committed the misdemeanor, with the restriction that the amount of money is prohibited from leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina. In accordance with the Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorist Activities, the ITA ex officio informed the Financial Intelligence Department of the State Agency for Investigation and Protection about this case - we were told then by the ITA.

But, as we were told today by SIPA, three days after the incident occurred, they have not received an official note.

- We inform you that the State Agency for Investigation and Protection (SIPA) has still not received a written notification from the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH regarding the attempt to take 250,000 USD out of BiH on October 16, 2015. After the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH, pursuant to Article 71 of the Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorist Activities, submits an official notification to the Financial Intelligence Department of SIPA regarding this case, any further activities will be defined - says Kristina Jozić, SIPA spokesperson.