Indictment confirmed against Armin Šabanović and his criminal group

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The Municipal Court in Tuzla confirmed the indictment of the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of Tuzla Canton against Armin Šabanović (26), Armin Rizvić (30), Rijad Šabanović (25), Dževad Fočić (27), Sanela Šabanović (27), Dženita Halilović (22), all from Živinice, and Emir Kuduzović (38) from Lukavac and Denis Karić (34) from Tuzla, due to the existence of grounded suspicion that they, in a group organized by Armin Šabanović, committed the prolonged criminal offense of unauthorized production and trafficking of narcotic drugs.

They are accused of, within the mentioned organized group, from the end of 2021 to October 2022, in the area of Tuzla Canton and wider, with different roles and tasks within the group, procuring, packaging, distributing, and selling the narcotic drugs amphetamine (speed), MDMA, marijuana, and cocaine to a larger number of consumers.

The indictment charges them with more than twenty individual acts of procuring and selling larger quantities of the aforementioned narcotics, after which they handed over the money from drug sales to Armin Šabanović.

Armin and Sanela Šabanović, Rizvić, and Fočić are also accused of the criminal offense of money laundering, meaning they invested illegal money from drug sales and committed criminal offenses into real estate and movable property. Along with the indictment, it was proposed to the competent court that, upon the finality of the verdict, the property benefit acquired through criminal offenses in the total amount of approximately 400,000 KM in cash, real estate, and movable property be confiscated from the aforementioned individuals, and from that amount, more than 190,000 KM from the group organizer Armin Šabanović. A financial investigation was also conducted in the case to determine the property benefit acquired through criminal offenses.

Some members of the group are also accused of other criminal offenses: violent behavior, unlawful deprivation of liberty, grievous bodily harm, illegal possession of weapons or explosives, and other criminal offenses.

Approximately 1,000 different material evidence items were submitted to the competent court along with the indictment. The acting prosecutor proposed that the pre-trial detention for the accused Armin Šabanović, Armin Rizvić, Rijad Šabanović, Dževad Fočić, and Emir Kuduzović be extended after the confirmation of the indictment, which can last for a maximum of two more years with a review of justification every two months, and that the prohibition measures of leaving their place of residence be extended for Sanela Šabanović, Dženita Halilović, and Denis Karić.

The Municipal Court in Tuzla also confirmed the indictment against Mirnes Džananović (23), Aida Mulavdić (25), Nedim Girotić (25), Amira Mulavdić (33), and Bilal Mulavdić (59), all from Gračanica, due to the existence of grounded suspicion that they, in a group organized by Džananović, committed the prolonged criminal offense of unauthorized production and trafficking of narcotic drugs.

They are accused of, during 2022, within the mentioned group in the area of Gračanica, procuring, packaging, distributing, and selling the narcotic drugs amphetamine (speed) and marijuana to a larger number of consumers. The group members, who had different roles and tasks, are charged with committing at least 14 individual acts of procuring and selling drugs, thereby acquiring certain property benefits for themselves. The group leader, Mirnes Džananović, is also accused of the criminal offense of violent behavior.

We remind you that the investigation in these cases was conducted by the Prosecutor's Office in cooperation with investigators from the Agency for Investigation and Protection of BiH (SIPA BiH) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tuzla Canton. On October 5, 2022, searches were carried out at several locations in the areas of Živinice, Gračanica, Tuzla, Kalesija, and Banovići. During the searches of facilities and individuals, and through other investigative actions, approximately 20 kilograms of the narcotic drug speed (amphetamine) were found, as well as other narcotic substances, and a certain amount of money, computers, laptops, several pistols and ammunition, as well as other items used as evidence, were confiscated.