Migrant smuggling ring busted: Five arrested

SARAJevo, (Patria) - Police officers of the BiH Border Police, in cooperation with members of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia, through EUROPOL in the area of Kozarska Dubica, Kostajnica, Novi Grad and Prijedor are carrying out the International Operational Action "River".

Officers are searching five locations. Five BiH citizens have been deprived of their liberty due to grounds for suspicion that they committed the criminal offense of "organizing a group or association for the commission of the criminal offense of migrant smuggling", in connection with the criminal offense of "human trafficking", by smuggling citizens of countries with high migration risk from Serbia, through Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Croatia, Slovenia and other European Union countries.

During the operation, GPBiH members documented the smuggling of at least 315 migrants, for whom the members of the organized criminal group charged 1,000 euros each, thereby gaining significant illegal property benefits. During the searches, items that will be used as evidence in criminal proceedings and money worth 2,250 euros were seized.

"OA River activities in BiH are being carried out under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office and the Court of BiH. At the same time, members of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior are searching facilities in the territory of Croatia used by persons who, in cooperation with suspects from BiH, smuggled migrants.

OA River is one of a series of actions by the BiH Border Police aimed at identifying, detecting and prosecuting human smugglers and dismantling organized criminal groups. In addition to measures to prevent illegal border crossings in the border area, GPBiH police officers continuously gather information about persons engaged in human smuggling, and such activities will continue in the future," the Border Police announced.