Operational action "Caliber" implemented in Bosnia and Herzegovina

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - On November 17 and 18, 2017, an operational action codenamed "CALIBRE" / "KALIBAR" was carried out on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The operational action was organized by EUROPOL and represents a continuation of last year's operational action "JAD 2016".

The operational action "KALIBAR" was carried out with the aim of combating illegal trade in weapons, explosives, and ammunition. In addition to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Western Balkan countries and European Union member states participated in the operational action with the support and active involvement of EUROPOL, FRONTEX, SEESAC, SEEFEN, SEEFEG, EC, and UNDOC.

During the operational action, a Coordination Center was established at the headquarters of the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH, which was managed by the Directorate as the action coordinator. In addition to the Directorate, all law enforcement agencies at the state, entity, and cantonal levels, as well as the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH, participated in the operation.

During the two-day operation, 4 persons were deprived of liberty, and checks and inspections were carried out for a total of: 25,969 persons, 12,074 vehicles, 10 locations (shops and houses), 1,298 buses and trucks, 126 weapons, and 2,231 documents. In two separate cases, the following were seized: 1 M-48 rifle with optics, 1 bolt for an M-48 rifle, 170 rounds of ammunition of various calibers, and 1 CZ rifle with optics, 3 hunting rifles (MOSSERG, BAIKAL, BROWNING), 1 CZ99 pistol, and 256 rounds of ammunition of various calibers.

At the invitation of the EUROPOL Cooperation Department of the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH, a "Mobile Office" was established in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the operation, providing access to databases not directly available to law enforcement agencies in BiH. In this way, during the operational action, officers on the ground, with the help of EUROPOL representatives, conducted direct checks through EUROPOL databases.

The Mobile Office operated both within the territory of BiH and at certain border crossings of BiH with neighboring countries, where enhanced border crossing controls were carried out.

The Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH thanks the law enforcement agencies in BiH and abroad that participated in the preparation and implementation of this operational action, and emphasizes its readiness to continuously undertake further measures and actions within its jurisdiction to combat all criminal offenses related to organized crime.