More people arrested with EUROPOL support for smuggling at least 160 individuals across the Sava River

(Patria) - 11 people have been arrested in Croatia on suspicion of smuggling more than 160 migrants, the Croatian Ministry of Interior (MUP) announced.

The arrested are aged 19 to 29 and are from the areas of the police administrations of Brod-Posavina, Zadar, and Osijek-Baranja.

It is suspected that from the beginning of February to October 22 this year, two individuals, as stated, cooperated with members of an organized criminal group in the area of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The arrested are suspected of smuggling at least 160 individuals - citizens of China, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria, for whom they charged between 150 and 500 euros per person, thereby gaining financial benefit of at least 72,000 euros.

The smuggling of a larger number of migrants was organized across the Sava River outside of the border crossings of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.

The arrested are suspected of organizing further transport of migrants by car towards Zagreb and further towards Western European countries.

By order of the County Court in Osijek, searches of apartments and premises used by the suspects were carried out, and items related to the committed criminal offense were seized.

This is a multi-month criminal investigation by the Croatian police, with the support of EUROPOL, and in coordination with the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime.

The arrested have been handed over to the detention supervisor, and a criminal complaint has been filed with the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime.

The Croatian MUP states that the criminal investigation in Bosnia and Herzegovina was carried out by officials of the Agency for Investigations and Protection of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Regional Office Banja Luka, in coordination with the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina.