Border police officer arrested for allowing three people into BiH from Croatia despite ban

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Police officers of the Central Investigation Office of the BiH Border Police, in a coordinated action with police officers of Brčko District Police, the Intelligence-Security Agency of BiH, as well as in cooperation with the Coordination Body for Protection and Rescue, chaired by the Minister of Security of BiH Fahrudin Radončić, and under the supervision of a prosecutor from the BiH Prosecutor's Office, based on orders from the BiH Court, on March 17, 2020, carried out activities to prevent, detect, and prove illegal, corruptive actions committed by a police officer of the Brčko Border Police Station at the Brčko International Border Crossing, due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that the criminal offense of "Receiving a Gift and Other Forms of Benefit" under Article 217 of the Criminal Code of BiH was committed.

"During the mentioned activities, during which certain corruptive acts were documented, a police officer of the BiH Border Police, assigned to the Brčko Border Police Station, was deprived of liberty. The mentioned search and arrest activities were carried out at the Brčko International Border Crossing. Namely, there are grounds for suspicion that the mentioned police officer, on March 15, 2020, in the afternoon hours, enabled the illegal entry into BiH for three persons coming from an area where entry into BiH is prohibited due to coronavirus, meaning they should have been issued a Decision on Refusal of Entry into BiH or placed in self-isolation with a previously issued Decision by the competent authority, by which actions he directly endangered the public health of a larger number of BiH citizens by allowing these persons to enter BiH uncontrollably, all for a certain sum of money he demanded from them. These persons were found, located, and isolated in an effective operational action by the BiH Border Police and Brčko District police officers, thus preventing greater consequences of the mentioned illegal activities. In addition to searching the suspected police officer of the BiH Border Police, the official premises at the Brčko International Border Crossing used by the suspected police officer were also searched," the BiH Border Police announced.

Director of the BiH Border Police, Zoran Galić, stated that he is appalled by the actions of individuals who disgrace this police agency, which is facing enormous challenges.

"It is shameful and devastating, especially in these moments, that we have irresponsible and unprofessional individuals who consciously make catastrophic mistakes. While the entire country is facing major challenges of the COVID-19 virus and the migrant crisis, the BiH Border Police must be an example of responsible and conscientious conduct in such situations, just as many colleagues are fighting against illegal migrants with almost exhausting capacity and implementing agreed measures to suppress the coronavirus, investing the last atom of strength in protecting the state border. Individuals consciously break the law and behave extremely shamefully, damaging the reputation of the BiH Border Police, which I strongly condemn. In addition to insufficient personnel and material-technical capacities, border police officers are exposed to numerous dangers daily, and despite this, they do not falter but responsibly perform all tasks and duties. Therefore, it is necessary to impose sanctions on individuals who do not honorably defend the title of police officer to remind them of their oath taken at the very beginning of accepting this honorable job, especially considering this difficult situation of the coronavirus pandemic and the migrant crisis. I promise the public that we will use all possible capacities to clear our ranks of individuals, and for every form of unprofessional behavior, sanctions will be imposed to prevent any form of criminal and unprofessional conduct," emphasized Zoran Galić.

The BiH Border Police invites all citizens who notice irregularities in the work of BiH Border Police officers to report them so that they can react in a timely manner and sanction such officers.

The BiH Prosecutor's Office stated that the investigation found that a border police officer at the Brčko border crossing demanded and received a gift in order to allow three persons who arrived from the Republic of Croatia to enter BiH, contrary to regulations.

"Acting on the order of a prosecutor from the Special Department for Organized Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption, police officers of the BiH Border Police deprived of liberty the suspected border police officer from the Brčko border crossing. The investigation found that the mentioned suspect, upon the entry of three citizens into BiH from the territory of the Republic of Croatia, demanded and received a gift in order to allow them to enter BiH without the appropriate documents, and then, contrary to instructions and orders on how to handle citizens entering BiH in the process of issuing self-isolation decisions, allowed them into BiH without the procedures of the competent sanitary and health authorities being carried out. After the discovery of the mentioned event and the conduct of the investigation, the citizens of BiH from the wider Brčko area were identified and located, and the procedure was carried out with them in accordance with the provisions for protection against the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.

The mentioned suspect will be brought to the BiH Prosecutor's Office during the day, where he will be questioned by the acting prosecutor, who will then submit a motion to the BiH Court for the determination of pre-trial detention. The suspect is under investigation for the criminal offense of receiving a gift or other forms of benefit under Article 217 of the Criminal Code of BiH," the BiH Prosecutor's Office announced.