In "Master" operation, SIPA arrested 21 people: Damage to the budget of BiH institutions amounts to 4.5 million KM

In an operation codenamed "Master", police officers of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), acting on orders from the Court of BiH and the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, searched the premises, apartments, vehicles and other movable and immovable property of several legal and natural persons, with the aim of finding items originating from the commission of the criminal offense of organized crime, in connection with the criminal offenses of tax evasion or fraud, customs fraud, receiving gifts and other forms of benefits, giving gifts and other forms of benefits, and money laundering.

During the "Master" operation, 21 persons were arrested, 11 of whom will be handed over to the Prosecutor's Office of BiH for further competent proceedings during the day (May 26, 2017).

A total of 49 searches were carried out at several locations in the areas of Sarajevo, Gradačac, Srebrenik, Gradiška, Banja Luka and Brčko District of BiH, during which items that can serve as evidence in further criminal proceedings were found and temporarily confiscated, namely: money in the amounts of 77,185 euros, 43,960 US dollars, 55,190 kuna, 22,430 Serbian dinars, 2,750 Swiss francs, 500 Hungarian forints, and smaller amounts of Australian dollars, English pounds and Turkish lira; a semi-automatic rifle, two pistols and 49 rounds of ammunition.

In addition to the above, measures and actions were taken to block a certain number of current accounts for six natural persons and three legal persons, and six orders were issued for the temporary suspension of transactions totaling 128,908.39 KM and 5,709.92 euros. The damage to the budget of BiH institutions and BiH's international obligations, caused by the commission of the aforementioned criminal offenses, amounts to over 4.5 million KM.

The "Master" operation is being carried out by SIPA police officers in cooperation with police officers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tuzla Canton, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Zenica-Doboj Canton, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Central Bosnia Canton.

SIPA police officers continue their work within the "Master" and "Bonus" operations, about which the public will be informed in a timely manner.