SIPA arrested 13 persons, seized larger amount of money, computers and laptops, blank diplomas

(Patria) - Police officers of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) yesterday (Tuesday), acting on orders of the Cantonal Court in Tuzla and the District Court in Banja Luka in the areas of Tuzla, Kalesija, Bijeljina, Zvornik, Srebrenica and Bratunac, carried out operational actions "Alterego I and II", during which searches were conducted at 15 locations and 13 persons were deprived of liberty.

The arrested persons were taken to SIPA premises for criminal processing and questioning as suspects, after which they were handed over within the legal deadline to the further jurisdiction of the acting prosecutors of the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office of Tuzla Canton and the Republic Public Prosecutor's Office of Republika Srpska.

During the search, a larger amount of money, travel documents, computers and laptops, blank diplomas, seals and other documentation and items that may serve as evidence that the aforementioned criminal offenses were committed were discovered and temporarily seized.

The activities were carried out due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that the criminal offenses of "Organized Crime", "Forgery of Documents", "Certifying False Content", "Unauthorized Storage of Goods" and "Smuggling" prescribed by the Criminal Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the criminal offenses of "Associating for the Purpose of Committing a Criminal Offense", "Forgery of a Document", "Issuing and Using a False Medical or Veterinary Certificate", "Giving Bribes", "Receiving Bribes", "Abuse of Official Position or Authority" and "Trading in Influence" prescribed by the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska, were committed.

Cooperation during the implementation of the aforementioned activities was achieved with police officers of the Ministries of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska and Tuzla Canton.