Operative Action "Farmer": Eight Persons Arrested for Selling Equipment Donated to Flood-Affected Areas

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Police officers of the Federal Police Administration and the Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton today, under the supervision of the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton, began implementing a joint operative action codenamed “Farmer” in the territory of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, related to the criminal offense of “Organizing a group for the purpose of committing a criminal offense” under Article 340, in connection with the criminal offenses of “Abuse of position or authority” under Article 383 and “Fraud” under Article 294 of the Criminal Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the FUP announced.

As part of the aforementioned activities, acting on orders from the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo, searches are being conducted at nine locations in the Sarajevo, Zenica-Doboj, Tuzla, Una-Sana cantons and Canton 10 – Livno, and eight persons with initials I.M. (1965.), A.T. (1967.), M.N. (1961.), H.S. (1962.), E.S. (1959.), R.O. (1969.), V.J. (1971.), R.DŽ. (1964.) have been arrested, while one person is outside Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The aforementioned individuals are suspected of having, in the period from 2014 to mid-2015, as members of the Commission for the Allocation of Agricultural Machinery on behalf of the Government of the FBiH and other persons close to them, carried out an illegal and non-purposeful distribution and sale of agricultural equipment and machinery donated by the People's Republic of China to Bosnia and Herzegovina, worth over 1,000,000 KM, which was intended for users in the FBiH affected by floods, by selling it for cash directly to users or through intermediaries at significantly lower market prices, all with the aim of acquiring unlawful property gain.

During the searches, items originating from or related to the aforementioned criminal offenses, which were sought by the Court order, were found and temporarily seized.

The arrested persons will be criminally processed in the official premises of the Federal Police Administration and will be handed over within the legal deadline, along with a Report on the committed criminal offense, to the further jurisdiction of the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of Sarajevo Canton.

Assistance during today's activities is provided by members of the cantonal ministries of interior of the Zenica-Doboj, Tuzla, Una-Sana Canton and Canton 10 - Livno.

Activities on the implementation of this operative action continue.