Three people arrested in Sarajevo for human smuggling, money and documents seized

(Patria) - Three people have been arrested in Sarajevo in connection with human smuggling.

Hundreds of documents and public documents issued in Turkey, as well as money in various currencies, were seized during searches of apartments.

Police officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Sarajevo Canton (MUP KS) have filed a report on a committed criminal offense against K.B., a 33-year-old citizen of Iraq, E.Nj., a 51-year-old citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I.O., a 37-year-old citizen of Turkey, on grounds of suspicion that they committed the criminal offense of human smuggling.

On Friday, September 1, police officers arrested I.O., 37, in the municipality of Novo Sarajevo. During a personal search and a search of the apartment used by the suspect, hundreds of various documents – passports, identity cards, driver's licenses, and other documents and public documents issued in Turkey – were found and seized.

Cash amounting to 27,700 euros was also found, as well as a certain amount of cash in TRY and RSD currencies.

E.NJ., 51, was also arrested. During a search of business premises owned by him, money in the amount of 53,560 euros was found and seized, for which there are grounds for suspicion that it originates from the criminal offense in question.

Additionally, an Iraqi citizen was arrested, in whose personal search a certain amount of money in euros and convertible marks was found and temporarily seized.

There are grounds for suspicion that these three individuals are members of an international organized group engaged in human smuggling, and that they were aware of the legal consequences, meaning that through their illegal actions, they contributed to or directly participated in the commission of the criminal offense in question with the aim of obtaining illegal property benefits.

They enabled various individuals to illegally cross the state border of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with their personal consent. The arrested individuals were handed over to the jurisdiction of the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the statement from the MUP KS added.